The coach talks before Matchday 8

Sporting Clube de Portugal return to Liga Portugal action this Saturday at Estádio José Alvalade, hosting Casa Pia AC on Matchday 8.

After the 1-1 draw away to Dutch side PSV Eindhoven in the UEFA Champions League, coach Rúben Amorim assured journalists that his side are ready for the domestic fixture.

“This change of mindset is starting to become more natural, given the years we have been playing in both Europe and in the league. The players already know that to maintain our position in the table, we have to win. The players have done well in the transition from one competition to another before. We had an away trip, with an intense game, and our focus was on getting the players recovered and doing the tactical work,” said Amorim, before analysing eighth-placed Casa Pia AC.

“We will play the same formation as them, and we have many hours of experience in that. We have doubts about some Casa Pia AC players in their starting XI, and that can change their characteristics, but we are already used to the overall way Casa Pia AC play, because we use the same formation. They are a team with a low block and we have to be imaginative to create problems for them. They may have set pieces in which they use their three central defenders. Cassiano up front could be dangerous and Nuno Moreira was once a Sporting CP player and is very talented. We have looked a lot at individual characteristics because we didn't have much time to work on things, but the good thing about it is that we are already used to the references. We are prepared."

Zeno Debast is the only fully fit central defender available for Sporting CP, and Amorim revealed that Gonçalo Inácio and Eduardo Quaresma will be involved in the squad, despite being doubtful right until kickoff. Matheus Reis, Jeremiah St. Juste, Marcus Edwards, Pedro Gonçalves and Ousmane Diomande are all ruled out due to injury.

“Ousmane will be out for a few weeks. He will not be playing for the national team because he is not fit. Quaresma is not fully healed yet, Inácio also still has a little niggle. We will see tomorrow, but we do not have many solutions for the defence and they will have to make the sacrifice if they can. Ousmane is definitely out and St. Juste and Matheus Reis are too, so there are few players left. We have Fresneda, Esgaio -who can adapt to any position-, and players from the B team. But we will be ready for the game and the team are confident."

The coach was also asked about who will occupy the left side of the attack, and did not rule out Maxi Araújo or Conrad Harder playing there.

“We’ll see tomorrow, I’m not going to say because that changes the approach to the game. Although they play in the same position, they play completely differently. Maxi is increasingly better prepared and they can both play on the wing. He switched positions and that can sometimes be difficult since he doesn’t have a very strong base yet, but he can clearly play there and do it alongside Harder."

Finally, he was asked about the “rebirth” of rivals FC Porto and SL Benfica in European competitions, addressing the importance of maintaining the 100% winning streak in the league before the international break.

“We always have to win. Before the game against PSV, everyone said that Sporting CP would not lose the title under any circumstances. Now thay are saying that SL Benfica and FC Porto are better sides. We know that they are great teams and have excellent coaches, so we have to do our job. We will continue fighting, and if we win we will go to the break in first place, so that is our only objective."