The team best FC Alverca 5-1 to advance in the competition

Sporting Clube de Portugal defeated FC Alverca 5-1 in the quarter final of the Taça da Liga, securing their place in the Final Four in January.

The team took to the field just 48 hours after their 0-3 away win against CD Tondela, leading to Rui Borges fielding a completely revamped team that included five debutants. Geovany Quenda and newcomer Salvador Blopa scored twice each, and Fotis Ioannidis added the fifth with a beautiful long range shot.

João Virgínia, Georgios Vagiannidis, Eduardo Quaresma, Matheus Reis, Ricardo Mangas, Hidemasa Morita, Giorgi Kochorashvili, Blopa, Alisson Santos, Quenda and Ioannidis made up the starting XI.

Sporting CP started out dominating possession, although they were patient in circulating the ball and initially lacked a little attacking flair, only attempting to create chances from runs down the wings. However, they needed only one opportunity, in the 21st minute, to score and change the game. A long pass from Matheus Reis found Vagiannidis, and the Greek fullback headed the ball on for Quenda. With only the goalkeeper to beat, he kept his cool and made it 1-0.

A 2-0 lead was quickly established by Blopa, as the 18-year-old was fed through by Ioannidis, then took a defender out of the equation and finished off.

Ricardo Mangas was denied by goalkeeper Matheus Mendes towards the end of the first half, which concluded with a healthy lead for Sporting CP.

In the second half, the approach by both teams remained the same, with Sporting CP taking the initiative. They were 3-0 up before the hour, as a well-executed quick attack ended at Quenda's feet, and the No. 7 cut inside and hit a shot low into the back of the net.

Borges brought on another debutant, the creative Flávio Gonçalves, who has been shining in the B team and the UEFA Youth League this term.

Even playing at a slower pace, the chances arrived steadily. A header from Ioannidis saved by Matheus Mendes, then the goal to make it 4-0 came: Off a pass from Flávio Gonçalves, Blopa found space to unleash a shot inside the back post and score his second goal of the night.

Rodrigo Ribeiro, Rayan Lucas and Chris Grombahi came on -the latter two making their official debuts – and the scoring was subsequently rounded off: From outside the area, Ioannidis didn't hesitate to take a shot with his left foot. His arcing strike flew in to increase the scoreline to 5-0.

Before the final whistle, defender João Muniz also came on to make his first appearance.

FC Alverca scored a consolation goal off a quick counterattack by Sandro Lima, but the game ended with a comprehensive win for Sporting CP. A game played in December between FC Porto and Vitória SC will decide their opponents in January’s Final Four.

Sporting CP's next game is another meeting with FC Alverca at home, this time in Liga Portugal. It takes place on Friday night at 8:15pm.

Sporting CP: João Virgínia [GK], Georgios Vagiannidis, Eduardo Quaresma (João Muniz, 84’), Matheus Reis [C], Ricardo Mangas, Hidemasa Morita (Rayan Lucas, 77’), Giorgi Kochorashvili, Salvador Blopa (Chris Grombahi, 77’), Alisson Santos (Rodrigo Ribeiro, 77’), Geovany Quenda (Flávio Gonçalves, 62’), Fotis Ioannidis.

Statements after the victory against CD Tondela

After Sporting Clube de Portugal's 0-3 victory over CD Tondela, coach Rui Borges analysed the performance at the Estádio João Cardoso.

Analysis of the game
"It was a great performance from our team, from start to finish. We started the game very well, created several goalscoring opportunities, and the 0-1 scoreline at halftime was not enough compared to what we had created or to the team's energy. The team were fully engaged and switched on, and that was clear. CD Tondela still had faith even when it was 0-1 at halftime, and the challenge was maintaining that energy for the second half. The team showed that until the end. We have several players with the technical ability to make good decisions, and we managed to make it 0-3. We could have scored more goals.

End of the "bad run" talk
"The team delivered. For me, it's not even a topic for discussion. The answer was for ourselves, no one else, for what we weren't able to do against SC Braga."

Sporting CP fans in Tondela
"I also want to give a special thanks to our fans, who once again made us feel as if we were playing at home. This connection we continue to have is important; there's a mutual belief that allows us to have more good performances like this."

The team’s performance
"The Olympique de Marseille match was important for the players' confidence. We have a team with several players who have won everything at Sporting CP, and sometimes there can be a complacency here and there that leads us to not be as dynamic as we want. They want to do better, and we saw that against Olympique de Marseille. If it weren't for that, we wouldn't have given this response today. We didn't stop with the ball and we were always very dynamic. The challenge is to always be like that, and the performance we gave today was the same performance we gave in the first few games of the season.”

Managing exertion for the match against FC Alverca
"Twenty players came here to Tondela. Only Hidemasa Morita didn’t travel, because he had a problem, and I believe he'll be available for Tuesday. The team that started are completely exhausted, but I'm sure we'll be competitive on Tuesday. It's important, and I urge Sporting CP fans to come out in full force. Whoever plays must feel the support from the stands so we can reach the Taça da Liga final four."

The new pitch in Tondela
"It was ok. It was a bit soft here and there, but it was up to the standard of the game. It's good and will definitely get better in the coming weeks. I wish every ground was like this, because it benefits the show."

Scoring early
"We wanted to show that we were here to win and that we want to be league champions again. The team did that from the first minute to the last."

Pedro Gonçalves, Francisco Trincão and Morten Hjulmand
Pedro Gonçalves is performing better than last season with fewer games under his belt. Trincão is in the best form of his career, and Morten responded fantastically today. They are important players, I don't shy away from that. They feel this responsibility and embrace it, which is what makes great players. I'm happy to have them on my team."

A 0-3 win sees Sporting CP dominate on the road

Goals from Luis Suárez, Pedro Gonçalves, and Geovany Quenda enabled Sporting CP to take a 0-3 away win against CD Tondela on Liga Portugal Matchday 9. The victory takes them level at the top of the table with FC Porto, who play their fixture on Monday night.

Coach Rui Borges made two changes to the starting lineup that he fielded in the Champions League against Olympique de Marseille: Zeno Debast missed the game through injury and Geovany Quenda was rotated out, with Ousmane Diomande and Geny Catamo coming in.

The match started in a lively fashion, with the first goalscoring opportunity coming in the second minute. Pedro Gonçalves had his shot saved by goalkeeper Bernardo Fontes, who ended up being the best player for the home team during the first half.

After a header off target from Diomande and, at the other end, a similar effort from Cícero Alves that was easily saved by Rui Silva, it was Bernardo Fontes' turn to again intervene: He blocked Geny Catamo's powerful shot with an acrobatic save. Shortly after, Francisco Trincão tried his luck, but could not keep his strike between the posts.

In the 18th minute, the opening goal arrived: Set up by Pedro Gonçalves, Luis Suárez used incredible trickery to dribble past two defenders, before firing a shot in off the post. It was the Colombian striker’s seventh goal in Liga Portugal action this season.

The dominance only intensified, with opportunities becoming increasingly frequent. In the 25th minute, Suárez came close to scoring a second goal after a good pass from Catamo, but Bernardo Fontes made the save. From the ensuing corner, the centre forward headed wide from an excellent position.

Suárez was lurking when a dangerous ball from Catamo was cleared by Christian Marques near the goal line, but couldn’t reach the loose ball, and a long-range shot from Diomande missed the target shortly thereafter.

In the 33rd minute, Sporting CP won the ball back, Trincão passed to Suárez, and he teed up Gonçalves for the finish -only to be denied again by Bernardo Fontes.

The goalkeeper added three more saves in a single move, as Catamo’s effort and two from Suárez were all kept out. Fontes frustrated the Colombian again in the 38th minute, keeping the deficit to a single goal at halftime.

CD Tondela had enjoyed their best chance just before the break, with Pedro Maranhão having a shot that was saved by Rui Silva.

The second half picked up from where the first had left off, with Sporting CP playing well, completely dominating and creating numerous chances.

The opposition goalkeeper continued to shine, and in the early stages saved shots from Maxi Araújo, Geny Catamo and Pedro Gonçalves.

The 58th minute saw more Suárez magic, as he deceived a defender and was only prevented from scoring by Bernardo Fontes.

The second goal arrived just past the hour, when Gonçalves received the ball on the left and took on two defenders before tucking the ball into the back of the net. The stunning goal was his sixth in the league this season.

The increase in the advantage brought more calm to the game. CD Tondela pushed their lines forward, but it was almost always Sporting CP who were the more dangerous side, as seen with Catamo's shot wide in the 62nd minute.

At the other end, Pedro Maranhão slammed a wild shot wide.

With just under 20 minutes remaining, Rui Borges made his first changes, replacing Catamo and Suárez with Geovany Quenda and Fotis Ioannidis. Later, Matheus Reis and Alisson Santos came in for Araújo and Gonçalves.

The final goal came past the 90th minute, and after Bernardo Fontes had denied Francisco Trincão once again. Matheus Reis crossed wide for Quenda, positioned at the far post, to head home to make it 0-3.

Sporting CP have a swift turnaround, as on Tuesday they host FC Alverca in the Taça da Liga quarter finals.

Sporting CP: Rui Silva [GK], Iván Fresneda, Ousmane Diomande, Gonçalo Inácio, Maxi Araújo (Matheus Reis, 84'), Morten Hjulmand [C], João Simões (Giorgi Kochorashvili, 90'), Geny Catamo (Geovany Quenda, 73'), Francisco Trincão, Pedro Gonçalves (Alisson Santos, 84') and Luis Suárez (Fotis Ioannidis, 73').

The coach prepares for the game against CD Tondela

Sporting Clube de Portugal visit CD Tondela this Sunday in Liga Portugal, and coach Rui Borges previewed the match in his pre-match press conference.

CD Tondela
"They're playing at home, debuting a new pitch, and playing in front of a full house. They'll be highly motivated to face the reigning league champions. They're a team that like to have the ball, especially given the ideas of their coach [Ivo Vieira], whom I admire a lot. They like to create play, have the ball, and build attacks. In most games they have had more possession than their opponents. They're the team that create the fourth most chances and have the second most missed chances, behind Sporting CP. I watched some CD Tondela games from the first few matchdays, and they created a lot of opportunities. Them having the ‘worst attack in the division’ is deceptive; we have to be alert.”

João Simões
"He's as prepared as any other player. He's responded when the coach thinks he offers the best opportunities for us. He's responded fantastically. He had a somewhat difficult preseason, considering the ability and demands we expected. He's been developing, had his chances, and responded. He's been called up to the squad, and tomorrow we'll see if he'll be a starter. He's a star talent in every sense, and I continue to say he'll be a leader for Sporting CP in the future. I have no doubt about that. He has very unique characteristics and knows what he needs to improve on."

Post-UEFA Champions League matches
"Against Moreirense FC, we had a great game from start to finish, even if we only broke the deadlock near the end. Against SC Braga, we fell short of our expectations. Tomorrow, I believe we'll give a good response. I feel the team are in good shape, motivated, eager to have fun playing, with the responsibility inherent of the game. We know the difficulties, and changing gears is a bit difficult because against the best teams, motivation is always high. We have to connect with them in the same way playing against sides like Olympique de Marseille as we do against CD Tondela.”

Not considering the current form a bad run
"I mentioned it because I was asked. I wasn't the one who mentioned something that, for me, doesn't exist. There was one game in which we were less successful, that's all. Besides, as I said, we're not in seventh place, we're in second, three points off the top. We have six points from three games in the UEFA Champions League, and we progressed in the Taça de Portugal. The only game that's been lacking is the one against SC Braga, where we weren't the team we'd been up until that point for the full 90 minutes."

The short time between matches against CD Tondela and FC Alverca
"We take things one game at a time. I'm only thinking about CD Tondela and fielding the best team. Then, we'll see the best starting XI for the Taça da Liga. We'll certainly make a lot of changes, because it's impossible for most of the players to be fit for both games. I'm calm because it will give opportunities to players who perhaps don't get as many minutes, and need them in order to be better prepared. I'm not worried at all, and I'm solely focused on the CD Tondela game."

Ousmane Diomande
"He played a good 90 minutes in Paços de Ferreira. He's fit, available, and doing better."

Zeno Debast
"He'll be out for the next three games."

The coach reflects on the 2-1 win over Olympique de Marseille

After the 2-1 victory against Olympique de Marseille in the UEFA Champions League, Sporting CP coach Rui Borges gave his thoughts on the match in a press conference.

The impact of Geny and Alisson's introductions on the victory
"It speaks volumes about the spirit of this team. I can't say it enough; we have a fabulous group. Quenda wasn't offering much directness in one-on-ones, and we wanted to push Olympique de Marseille back into their own box. We had to have that ability, so we tried bringing Geny in and pushing Maxi out wide. Then with Maxi tiring, we tried with Alisson on the left. We know what that entails. We knew we might have to resort to balls into the box as well, and with Fotis, we gained an extra man in the box.

The difficulties posed by the opponents and the team's response
"I’ll take away the fact that it’s another victory. I’m happy to have six points from three games, to have won against a great team, which really were a ten-man side tonight. They're a very dangerous team on the counterattack, very direct, and in the first half, we left them open three or four times and conceded a goal exactly like the one we conceded in Naples. We've been talking about this all week, but it's part of the team's growth. It has to serve as an example again. We didn't need to expose ourselves to this, but otherwise, the team complied with the tasks we had planned for the game. We still had a good first half, but we grew at the end with a different competitive spirit and doing better in the duels.

The importance of the victory at this stage
"We won a big Champions League game, but we weren't in a bad run of form. We won't always play well, but this team just gave a response. They are ambitious players who have already won a lot, but they still have a huge desire to win, and that's what they want to demonstrate. We want them to challenge themselves more and more, in order to get better."

A possible lack of inspiration
"My opinion is that Trincão and Pedro Gonçalves both had a great game. We didn't have the offensive flow we had against SC Braga. Aside from that, we're the team that produces the most and makes the most mistakes with our finishing -because we're the team that produce the most."

Six points giving more confidence about knockout stage qualification
"We still have many games ahead against great teams. We’ve faced the French league leaders and the Italian champions already, and the team gave a fantastic response."

Zeno Debast going off for Diomande
"I don't know exactly what Debast’s issue was. I still have to ask. Diomande is an important player, with different characteristics than those who played today from the start. I'm happy to see him back playing, and he could have even played from the start, but we were a little cautious."

Unity and harmony within the group
"The team spirit is fantastic and unique. I'm happy to be coaching Sporting CP. I won the title and the cup with this side, and we're in second place now, we're through in the cup, we have six points in the Champions League, and we're trying to qualify for the Taça da Liga Final Four. I'm comfortable with the criticism. I'm well aware of the confidence I have in me and that everyone who works at the Academy conveys to us. Above all, I'm a happy coach."

Catamo and Santos score with second half strikes in the Champions League

Sporting Clube de Portugal defeated French side Olympique de Marseille 2-1 in their third game of the UEFA Champions League season, as substitutes Geny Catamo and Alisson Santos turned the scoreline around in the second half.

The match saw Rui Borges’ men take on one of the form teams in Europe, on a five-game win streak and top of Ligue 1. Sporting CP fielded a lineup with many changes compared to that which was fielded against Paços de Ferreira in the Taça de Portugal, and only Morten Hjulmand, Geovany Quenda, and Pedro Gonçalves remained in the starting XI. Rui Silva, Iván Fresneda, Zeno Debast, Gonçalo Inácio, Maxi Araújo, João Simões, Francisco Trincão, and Luis Suárez were all picked for the game.

Sporting CP started with a high press that saw immediate success. Following a stolen ball near the opposition box, Trincão had an opportunity from a free kick that he sent only slightly over.

Marseille’s response came from winger Igor Paixão. He first tried to surprise an alert Rui Silva with a long-range chip, theen fired a powerful shot wide from the left.

On the third attempt, Paixão got his goal. In a quick transition, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang passed the ball to his teammate, who delivered a curling shot into the net to make it 0-1.

At the other end, despite imprecisions in their attacking combinations that hampered their chances of getting into the opposition area, high pressure continued to be Sporting CP's best weapon, leading to another opportunity: A low shot from Gonçalves went into the side-netting.

From a similar move in Marseille’s favour, Mason Greenwood popped up in the box and shot, but Rui Silva saved.

The first half ended with a flourish for Rui Borges's men, as a fantastic individual effort by Suárez was denied by goalkeeper Geronimo Rulli's block.

Before the halftime whistle, a dramatic turn of events revived the spirits of the fans at the Estádio José Alvalade. In the 44th minute, the referee awarded a penalty to Olympique de Marseille, but after being called by VAR to review the footage, Slovenian referee Rade Obrenovič not only overturned the penalty but also showed Emerson Palmieri a yellow card for simulation. It was the full-back's second booking, and his sending off reduced Marseille to 10 men.

In the second half, Sporting CP tried various ways to break through the French side. After several aerial balls, it was a solo run by Quenda that brought the most danger, with Rulli scrambling to his post to deny an effort from him, followed shortly after by a misplaced cross-shot from Suárez and another from João Simões.

Borges immediately introduced more offensive options from the bench: Fotis Ioannidis and Geny Catamo came on for Simões and Quenda.

In the 70th minute, a quick combination in attack created space to exploit. Gonçalves passed to Catamo, and the Mozambican – celebrating his 100th appearance for Sporting CP – went through on goal and fired in the equaliser.

To continue the comeback, Alisson Santos was the next to be introduced, in place of Fresneda. He was joined by Ousmane Diomande, this time due to Debast being unfit to continue.

Once again, the change could not have had a better effect: Santos revived Sporting CP's momentum with the first ball he was able to receive inside from the left. The Brazilian picked out a shot and, with the help of a deflection off a defender, had his effort spin into the net on 86 minutes. Sporting CP made it 2-1 with Santos’ second goal in three Champions League games.

Just like the first half, the second half ended with emotions running high and VAR intervening. In a move involving Maxi Araújo and Benjamin Pavard, the referee decided to send off the Uruguayan and only caution the Frenchman, but when called to review the incident, he overturned the red card.

Sporting CP went on to secure the 2-1 win, making it six from a possible six at home in the Champions League. They finished the round in 11th place in the table.

The next European fixture is a visit to Italian side Juventus FC on November 4th, but before that they travel to CD Tondela on Sunday in Liga Portugal, then host FC Alverca in consecutive games in the Taça da Liga and domestic league.

Sporting CP: Rui Silva [GR], Iván Fresneda (Alisson Santos, 80’), Zeno Debast (Ousmane Diomande, 80’), Gonçalo Inácio, Maxi Araújo (Matheus Reis, 90+2’), Morten Hjulmand [C], João Simões (Fotis Ioannidis, 64’), Geovany Quenda (Geny Catamo, 64’), Pedro Gonçalves, Francisco Trincão, Luis Suárez

The striker sets his sights on scoring against Olympique de Marseille

Before the match against Olympique de Marseille,  Sporting CP striker Luis Suárez chatted to the media about the task ahead.

The approach to the game
"We try to focus more on ourselves, on doing things well. We know we're facing a great opponent, in a good run of form, but if we're at our best, we can win."

Having no doubts about what they have to do
"I don't think there are any doubts. We know the work we're doing. During the season, there are victories, draws, and defeats, but there are no doubts. We know what we have to do."

Memories of his time at Olympique de Marseille
“It was special because I get to play in the Champions League. It was something that I had in my mind. It was hard to get back to playing in these kinds of games, and being here is wonderful. That's why it's special. I played for Marseille, but that’s it. Still, I always look on the bright side. It was a new country, a new league, and I debuted in the Champions League there. I played little, scored a few goals, but I think I wasn't mentally ready for that club, football-wise. I also think they didn't show me much patience, but I’m not looking for excuses.”

The happiness he has found at Sporting CP
“I'm in the best time of my career and my life. There are still some things missing, but I work towards that every day. I came to Sporting CP to be happy, and I have been so since the beginning. My family is loving it here, and on a personal level, it's a moment of fulfillment.”

Comparisons with Gyökeres
"It's an inevitable comparison, especially considering what he did here. I'm taking it in the best possible way. It's a beautiful challenge that requires a lot of personality, after a second title, a double... I think I'm mentally prepared for this and I'm enjoying it."

The opponents
"They're a team with great players, they've reinforced very well, but it's just another game. We'll give it our all, and I believe it will be a great game for the spectators."

The coach previews the Champions League game

The UEFA Champions League returns to the Estádio José Alvalade on Wednesday, as Sporting Clube de Portugal host French side Olympique de Marseille on Matchday 3. On the eve of the European clash, coach Rui Borges held a pre-match press conference.

Olympique de Marseille's good form
"It has to motivate us somehow. If we want to be in this competition and face the best, so we have to face them at their best, regardless of the difficulties they will certainly cause us. We respect them for the quality of their coach, whom I'm learning from and watching to adapt our approach, and for their good players. They're in good form, they're top of the French league, with the most goals scored and the fewest conceded, and they have the highest percentage of passes completed. You can clearly see the quality in that side. They're a team that like to have the ball, but in the right moments they're very direct, fast, and have a great ability to score."

Sporting CP's current situation
"Honestly, I don't quite understand why people are talking about a bad run... We had a bad game against SC Braga and a bad half against GD Estoril Praia, but before that, they were talking about our quality of play and attacking ability. We're in second place in Liga Portugal, three points off the top spot, and we went through in the Taça de Portugal. The team understand what they have to do and that's been evident since the beginning of the season, even when we lost the Supertaça or lost to FC Porto at home. Our dynamic and individual and collective team quality are quite evident. This ‘bad run’ doesn’t exist. At the end of the game against Paços de Ferreira, I felt enormous affection from our fans. The cup games are the ones that stress me out the most."

His approach to the match Against OM
"The choices have to do with the game strategy, and as the game progresses, we'll understand the impact of having played extra time in the previous match. Despite everything, because it's the Champions League, I think the team will be more 'switched on.’ That's natural. Squad management will have to be based on how the game unfolds."

The importance of home advantage in the Champions League
“I believe it’s there, in part, but in these games there are no favourites. Of course, in the end, we look at home games, where we have that extra boost from our fans. Every game has its own story, and we go out there to win, whether home or away, knowing we'll face great teams.”

Morten Hjulmand
“He's our leader and our captain. He's not always at his best, but he's always a very important player for our team. He is demanding of his teammates and himself.”

Whether to expect an OM similar to Farioli's FC Porto
“No, they will be different. I think De Zerbi is an inspiration to everyone. You can see that FC Porto have traits from De Zerbi, but I think OM have more variability in their play and a different way of controlling possession. I think it will be a very different game from that against FC Porto.”

The squad train in preparation for Olympique de Marseille

Sporting Clube de Portugal held a training session this Monday morning in preparation for their match against French side Olympique de Marseille, scheduled for 8pm this Wednesday at the Estádio José Alvalade. The fixture is the team's fourth in the UEFA Champions League.

The squad will train again this Tuesday at 10:30am with the first 15 minutes open to the media.

Later, at 7pm, coach Rui Borges and a player will hold a pre-match press conference, at the Artur Agostinho Auditorium.

The coach reviews the win over Paços de Ferreira

After Sporting Clube de Portugal secured their place in the fourth round of the Taça de Portugal, Rui Borges reflected on his side's showing in the game.

The importance of progressing to the Fourth Round
"It's incredibly important because it was a goal of ours. Regarding the match itself, we knew we'd face challenges in this one. There are no easy games. Cup games have their own character, but we had a tremendous flow in attack and missed some opportunities to score. Sometimes that was through our own fault, other times through the opponent's merit. On the two occasions when FC Paços de Ferreira created chances, they managed to convert them.

Sporting CP put in a huge effort. In the first half, we only created chances from one-on-ones, but in the second half we improved with the substitutions: Iván [Fresneda] came on and was very dynamic, and Zeno [Debast] gives us a different edge in the build-up play. Geny [Catamo] also gave us more pace. We were always capable of creating chances, but, thanks to the way the FC Paços de Ferreira coach set them up, they managed to take us into extra time. We knew that if we kept going, we would eventually score, and fortunately, we did."

The fatigue caused by extra time
"It can't be used as an excuse. I'm not going to dwell on it. We didn't want to [play] those 30 minutes because it meant a lot of wear and tear for us. We tried to turn the game around in the 90 minutes, which is why we turned to Geny and Luis [Suárez], even though they were still tired from international duty, because they're players who can change things quickly.

The game on Wednesday against Olympique de Marseille
The team will be motivated; it's a UEFA Champions League game at home, in front of our fans —who were once again very important in supporting the team away from home today, and it will be the same on Wednesday. The team will give a good response."

Alisson's first start
"We know very well what Alisson brings to the table. Today we faced a team in a very low block, and he gives us one-on-one opportunities. I'm happy with the excellent performance he had. He's growing, figuring out how to get more minutes, and it's a credit to him that he got this chance. He'll get more minutes from now on, because he understands the demands of Sporting CP. He showed that today."

Ousmane Diomande
"He had a cramp and fatigue, nothing more than that. You can see he's not at his best yet, but he held out until he reached his limit. Now it's time to rest and prepare for the match against Olympique de Marseille."