Os Leões draw 1-1 at home with SC Braga

Sporting Clube de Portugal drew 1-1 in their Monday night fixture at home to SC Braga in Liga Portugal. Viktor Gyökeres scored the opening goal for Os Leões with a free kick in the first half.

At a sold-out Estádio José Alvalade, Rui Borges made three changes from the starting lineup fielded against Rio Ave FC, leaving Jeremiah St. Juste, Iván Fresneda and Maxi Araújo on the bench to bring in Gonçalo Inácio, Geovany Quenda and Matheus Reis.

Sporting CP were the better side and put the ball in the net from one of their first attacks, but the goal was disallowed for offside. Gyökeres was denied by just a three-centimetre margin.

Geny Catamo then fired a shot over the bar and Gyökeres had an effort saved by Lukáš Horníček. Amine El Ouazzani timidly responded for SC Braga with a strike of his own, but Rui Silva made a calm save.

Gyökeres did get his goal, and it took just 15 minutes or him to open the scoring. He had the opportunity from a direct free kick, and decided to smash the ball low, out of the reach of the goalkeeper and inside the post. It was another phenomenal goal, and the 44th of the season for the Swedish hitman -his 31st in the league.

In response, SC Braga advanced their lines and began to get closer to the Sporting CP area, although without creating any danger. From distance, Uroš Račić tried his luck with one of his side's rare attacks of note, but his shot went wide.

It was Sporting CP who came closest to scoring again before the break, in the 37th minute: A ball stolen by Gyökeres led to him advancing into the area and releasing off his foot for a miraculous save by Lukáš Horníček using his head.

Before the interval, Rodrigo Zalazar hit a powerful shot that was well saved by Rui Silva, taking the game into half time with the score at 1-0.

SC Braga returned from the break with the idea of shooting from distance, and had attempts such as Zalazar's shot wide in the 52nd minute. Sporting CP managed to react shortly after, when Quenda, following a clever move by Catamo, drew a another save from Horníček. Off the rebound, Gyökeres missed the target.

In the 63rd minute, Zeno Debast swerved a free kick into the side netting and, shortly after, SC Braga had one of their best chances: A free kick from the right ended up with the ball in the middle of the area, causing confusion and danger, but none of the visiting side's players finished the opportunity.

On the counterattack, Sporting CP once again went forward, and Gyökeres, set up by Catamo, shot over the bar.

In 73rd minute, Rui Borges made his first two substitutions - Maxi Araújo and Eduardo Felicíssimo came on, with Geny Catamo and Zeno Debast withdrawn.

Another good chance went Sporting CP's way, as Quenda recovered possession and passed to Francisco Trincão, whose attack was blocked by Horníček.

SC Braga's goalkeeper saved his team further when he denied Araújo, who had appeared from the left and shot across goal.

Horníček needed to stop from Trincão with ten minutes to go, and the Portuguese international dragged wide in another opportunity moments later.

Amidst this onslaught, SC Braga equalised in the 87th minute, thanks to a header from Afonso Patrão.

Before the end, Conrad Harder came on to replace Matheus Reis and SC Braga's João Moutinho was sent off for a second yellow card, but the result did not change further.

Os Leões will play again next Saturday, heading to the Azores to face CD Santa Clara.

Sporting CP: Rui Silva [GK], Eduardo Quaresma, Ousmane Diomande, Gonçalo inácio, Geovany Quenda, Morten Hjulmand [C], Zeno Debast (Eduardo Felicíssimo, 73'), Matheus Reis (Conrad Harder, 90'), Francisco Trincão, Geny Catamo (Maxi Araújo, 73') and Viktor Gyökeres.

Sporting CP host SC Braga this Monday at 8:45 pm local time

Sporting Clube de Portugal have a Monday fixture against SC Braga on Liga Portugal Matchday 28, and coach Rui Borges spoke to the media ahead of the game.

SC Braga
"I think we will encounter the best SC Braga side of the season; a team who have grown in confidence and form. In the last ten games, they have eight wins, one draw and one defeat, and have only two away defeats this season. They are the team that, after Sporting CP, I think, get the most points away from home. They have been growing in the last few games, have been able to bring back in some important players, and you can clearly notice the difference in terms of their confidence and quality. Therefore, we expect a strong SC Braga, who want to win and are motivated. However, above all we'll see a Sporting CP who are very confident and with a very competitive attitude. I believe it will be a good game between two great teams, with both sides wanting to win. We will have to be very competitive, as we have been."

The game between FC Porto and SL Benfica putting pressure on Sporting CP
"The pressure has been there for a long time. It comes with trying to win the remaining games, one by one. That's our pressure, to win and become champions. It is only down to us and there couldn't be better pressure for us. None of us care about the other results. Our total focus is on our game, which will be difficult, against a great team."

Missed scoring opportunities
"It's natural for you to question things, but I don't worry about any of that. We have scored several goals and created a lot of chances in the last few games. It's normal that sometimes we don't manage to score so many goals, but I'm happy with the team's attitude, how they are intense and are creating goalscoring situations. If that wasn't the case, I would be worried. It happens with other teams too; no one wins that easily and there aren't easy games. I feel the team growing at every moment of the game and that makes me confident for the matches we have left this season.”

The most important matchday in this final stretch of the season
"There will still be a Clássico, a game between first and second, whoever it is, in the penultimate round of fixtures. It's an important matchday with good games, and everyone can drop points, but I'm just focused on our game. Don't expect me to say that I want any one side to win, I just want to win our game. That's what I can control. And if we're competitive, like I said, it's still up to us. The most important game is ours. If we win, we are first, whatever happens. I'm not going to talk about the opponents. For them the most important game will be theirs and for us ours. We only depend on ourselves, so our game is the most important."

What Zeno Debast gives in midfield
"He adds what he has added already. He is a dynamic player, he has grown, he is better, more intense and aggressive and he will give us that thing that his technical quality gives us. Everyone recognises that and he feels confident because of that. He will grow a lot and do well as a midfielder, but I will never forget that he is centre back, even though he is available, confident and does things very well".

Pedro Gonçalves and Hidemasa Morita's availability
“The forecast for Pote remains a ten-day period, which I had already said, and Morita is out of the game.”

The Sporting CP coach looks at the win over Rio Ave FC

After Sporting CP’s 2-0 home victory against Rio Ave FC in the first leg of the Taça de Portugal semi-finals, coach Rui Borges analysed the match in a press conference.

The analysis of the game
"I'm satisfied with the team's display of confidence and commitment, from the beginning to the end of the game. It was a dangerous game against a team in a moment of transition. We couldn't lose focus for a minute and the team remained switched on until the end. I was satisfied with the second half, where we demonstrated enormous ambition, as we weren't satisfied with the 2-0 scoreline. We wanted more. Clearly we could have left here with another result and we could have had the tie even further in our favour. I’m happy with the quality the team had throughout the game.”

His conversation with Trincão
"He's tired (laughs). He's a player with a lot of minutes under his belt, and here and there you notice that fatigue, but he's a player who can decide the game at any moment. He had some chances to finish off, but he wasn't able to get what he deserved, especially for what he gives to the team. He told me that he feels good and is ready for the end of the season."

Fielding St. Juste in the starting XI
"He had been almost always a starter since I arrived, until he got injured. Today he played a good 60 minutes and that's the St. Juste we always want. He went off because he had been out for a while, but he gave a huge response and is another player who has our full confidence."

Sporting CP being the team with the most penalties called in Portugal
"It's a sign that we have more actions in the opposition area and they are more exposed to making fouls. We have players with a lot of technical quality and strength."

The option of three centre backs
"The initial formation is worth what it's worth, because within the strategy we adapt our movement to give the team more comfort. The team are growing in terms of confidence and in some behaviours, and this is seen in the game. The level of ambition has been enormous since we arrived and perhaps that's why we are at the top of the table."

Gyökeres' perfect penalty conversion rate
"He practices that, like anything else. He's a player who, above all, is focused and looks at every detail. He wants to improve in everything, he's competitive and never rests. I'm running out of objectives for Viktor to reach. He's different, and he's the best player in the country."

Debast's evolution in midfield
"It has been a successful change. He has made a phenomenal response and has grown from game to game at all levels: in decision-making, in defensive terms, in his positioning. With his technical quality, adapting some behaviours, he has become more intense and aggressive. He can be a wonderful midfielder."

Wanting more goals
"I feel like they're increasingly focused on this month and a half, on winning all the competitions possible. The game went as expected, but of course I would have been happier if we had scored more goals, because we had chances to score them. We created that goal before the break and the ambition was very evident. They deserved it for wanting to score more."

The chance to make history with a double
"It's not easy, but above all I see that the players are focused. They have shown a huge display of focus, ambition and desire. We are top of the table and one small step away from being in a cup final. But more than thinking about a month and a half from now, we have to think about Monday's game, which is the next one up. That's how we have made this long journey and I believe, since the day I arrived, that it can be happy and beautiful in the end".

Geny Catamo's position on the left of the attack
"A player can never be stuck in one position. He plays well there and a player can't be stuck doing just one thing, otherwise he won't grow and will only do that. This is his position, as a winger, and he plays both inside and outside. Will he make mistakes? He will, but that's the only way he will grow. I have to have the ability to help him be better. That goes not only for Geny but for Quenda too, who can also play on the left, where he had great games when we arrived. He has already been sold to Chelsea FC and I have no doubt that he was signed as a winger”.

The most consistent performance
"It was a good game. We also had a good game in Vila do Conde, which was one of the best, but perhaps in terms of consistency in the 90 minutes this was the most consistent. I think so.”

Two goals at home provide an advantage over Rio Ave FC

Back at the Estádio José Alvalade for the first time in almost three weeks Sporting Clube de Portugal beat Rio Ave FC 2-0 in the first leg of their Taça de Portugal semifinal. Goals from Geny Catamo and Viktor Gyökeres handed the team the advantage in the tie, and made it six consecutive victories.

Sporting CP made four changes in relation to the XI that beat CF Estrela da Amadora at home in the previous game. Maxi Araújo and Morten Hjulmand returned from suspension, and Jeremiah St. Juste and Catamo were also brought in, as Matheus left Reis, Gonçalo Inácio, Geovany Quenda and Eduardo Felicíssimo would begin the game on the bench. Hidemasa Morita and Pedro Gonçalves remained out through injury, as did Nuno Santos, Daniel Bragança and João Simões.

The opening to the game required patience and a lot of possession, up against the visitors' compact block, but Sporting CP did not have to wait long for their first goal. On 12 minutes, following a corner, the ball went to the edge of the area and Catamo struck with his left foot -giving Sporting CP the lead and the Mozambican his sixth goal of the season.

Rio Ave FC tried to respond with long shots from Clayton and André Luiz, but it was Sporting CP, by activating Gyökeres, who came very close to doubling their lead. Firstly, an effort was cleared at the last second, then Rio Ave FC goalkeeper Cezary Miszta got the better of the forward after he had regained the ball high up the pitch.

Two promising shots – from Trincão and from Gyökeres - were then smothered by the defenders, but just before the break Sporting CP made it 2-0. Catamo was brought down in the area, and Gyökeres converted the penalty with a panenka. It was his 43rd goal of the campaign, equalling his tally from 2023/24.

A third goal should have come as soon as the second half got underway, but Trincão could not finish off a well-worked play and shot over. About ten minutes later, Catamo also had a great opportunity, as he was served up the ball by Gyökeres from a skillful dribble, but he struck poorly and did not convert the chance.

Gyökeres made yet another sprint, and slammed a piledriver of a shot into the post, before coach Rui Borges made a triple substitution and brought on Matheus Reis, Geovany Quenda and Eduardo Felicíssimo for St. Juste, Iván Fresneda and Hjulmand.

In one of the visitors' rare forays into the attack in the second half, substitute Tiago Morais shot from distance at Rui Silva, who had little trouble containing the effort.

Os Leões continued to attack in search of an increasingly deserved third goal, but had both a hit over by Trincão shot again and a Catamo goal disallowed by VAR for offside.

Before the final whistle, Conrad Harder came on and immediately smashed an attempt wide, Maxi Araújo saw his touch blocked as the ball was heading towards goal, then Gyökeres did everything right but shot just wide.

Quenda had the final chance, but his hit from outside the area ended up in the hands of Miszta and the game ended 2-0.

The second leg of this tie is scheduled for April 22nd in Paços de Ferreira, at the Estádio Capital do Móvel, and not in Vila do Conde. Before that, Sporting CP turn their focus back to Liga Portugal, with an important game against SC Braga this Monday.

Sporting CP: Rui Silva [GK], Iván Fresneda (Geovany Quenda, 64’), Eduardo Quaresma, Ousmane Diomande, Jeremiah St. Juste (Matheus Reis, 64’), Maxi Araújo, Morten Hjulmand [C] (Eduardo Felicíssimo, 64’), Zeno Debast, Francisco Trincão (Conrad Harder, 79’), Geny Catamo (Biel Teixeira, 88’), Viktor Gyökeres.

The coach talks about the Taça de Portugal semifinals

Sporting Clube de Portugal host Rio Ave FC this Thursday in the Taça de Portugal semifinals. Coach Rui Borges previewed the game ahead in a press conference on Wednesday.

The semifinals
"It's a two-legged tie and the focus is solely on winning. We want to win, and we have to keep in mind that these will be two difficult games. Rio Ave FC certainly want to be in the final of the Taça de Portugal and will definitely come into the match very motivated. These are different games to league fixtures, because they dictate who will get into a final. They will compete to the fullest on every move, giving everything to get to the final.

We will do exactly the same thing. We want to win and the opposition cannot be more motivated than us. It will be a very competitive tie and nothing will be resolved in just one game. We have to play both games with the same rigor, ambition and concentration, but tomorrow in front of our fans we want to win."

Confidence in the team
"I have always maintained the same line: I have a huge ambition to win the league and to be able to win a cup final. For that to happen we have to overcome Rio Ave FC in this semi-final. The optimism is the same, our confidence is growing and the team has spoken for me and grown in terms of the quality of our play.

I'm very confident in the response that the team have been able to provide, in terms of their competitivity and consistency with our strategy and results. Therefore, I'm really confident for what will be the final stretch of the league and cup."

Possible rotations
"We really want to be in the final. We know that it will be difficult to overcome Rio Ave FC and we cannot think about keeping anything in reserve. There may be one or two changes, in terms of strategy, but we will approach the game very seriously. The focus is always the same for any game.

If I ask the players if they want to rest tomorrow and play on Monday, they'll kill me (laughs). Regardless of whether we play SC Braga in our next game and SL Benfica plays away at FC Porto, the title will be decided right at the end. We have to be focused on the next game and on being present in the final of the cup."

A possible final
"More than thinking about playing SL Benfica – and we have to respect FC Tirsense too – we have to think that we really want to win the cup, regardless of the opponent."

Possible future reinforcements
"I'm not going to say the name because it's difficult (laughs). Kochorashvili was a player identified by the club some time ago and who as a technical committee we had already observed at other times. He's a competitive player, with goals, technical quality... We believe he will add a lot and be an asset for Sporting CP. The club had the opportunity to guarantee his purchase now, and I'm happy about that.

We had also identified Alisson in January and there was no opportunity to bring him in then, but we closed the deal now, with a view to his future and growth.

In January, no one lets players leave, especially clubs fighting to move up the division, so it was difficult to close deals at that time."

Absences
"Morita is out of the game with Rio Ave FC and Pedro Gonçalves is too. I believe that in the next ten days he will be able to return; that's not the doctor saying this though, it's me who evaluates the day to day situation. I believe he will be close to making his contribution to the team.

If he were available, he would play, whether it was a lot or a little time, because of everything he gives to the team. We have missed him and I believe he will be very important in the final stretch of the season, if everything goes well."

His formation
"The goalkeepers don't know who's playing, so I'm not going to say anything here either (laughs).

Somehow, I have adapted to the moment at Sporting CP; To insist on something we really want, we have to have time and players available. Unfortunately we didn't have any of that and therefore we had to adapt.

Nevertheless, we often create in threes, so the formation is subjective. We have defended with a 4-4-2 in many games. Overall, the system doesn't deviate much from what we want, but at this stage, more than creating discomfort, we want to create trust in the group. We don't have much time to train, so we adapt one thing or another as we can. Above all, I want to feel the team grow in terms of confidence and energy."

The coach reviews the win over Estrela da Amadora

Rui Borges reacted to Sporting CP's 0-3 victory at CF Estrela da Amadora in his post-match press conference, after another comprehensive display from his team.

Analysis of the match
"We controlled the game from start to finish: When it was 11 vs. 11, 11 vs. 10 and 11 vs. 9. We started well and could have scored early on. After 20 minutes, CF Estrela da Amadora managed to slow down the game .

"After the sending off, and with the opposition playing with lower lines, the ball had to move faster, but we weren't able to do that. We had to create width, create one-on-one situations and take advantage of micro-superiorities in spaces. We changed that at half-time, with the introduction of Geny Catamo, a player who gives us the ability to accelerate out with the ball. He had a great game.

After we made it 0-1,we had several chances to score the second. We controlled the game and the goals started coming naturally. At a difficult ground, against a competitive team, we felt at home. Our fans made us feel that, as they are with us no matter what. It was very important for the team to feel this energy from the outside."

Killing off the game
"After the first goal we created opportunities to make it 0-2, but we couldn't finish them right away. Above all, it was important for the team to be focused on the defensive side: CF Estrela da Amadora tried quick attacks and set pieces, which I had warned about, and we were always controlling these aspects."

Few shots in the first half
"It's going to be increasingly difficult to win games. The teams in the league are very competitive and we have to make a difference from the few opportunities we create. We weren't capable of that in the first half, but I prefer to look at the collective and the evolution of the players on an individual level. I look at [Giovany] Quenda and he's much more of a player, Zeno [Debast] is much more competitive and committed to duels for the ball since he's been playing as a midfielder. He's a very focused kid who wants to know everything in his game; he's starting to enjoy playing in the middle and it shows.

Today the whole team contributed -even those not called up. That's what makes me happy: everyone was connected. That energy is felt in our play. The team are more competitive and this affects our daily work, even with all the difficulties we have had since we arrived. We have been getting around the little obstacles that have appeared along the way and, in these final games, everything will depend on us doing our best. Sometimes it happens, sometimes it doesn't, but if we all do our best, it will come."

Few minutes for Biel
"He has worked hard to improve and fit into the team's dynamics. There are options and everyone respects them, aware that they have to do their best, being available to help the team. When we win, everyone wins, and that is very clear."

The players have a session at the Academia Cristiano Ronaldo

Sporting Clube de Portugal returned to work this Tuesday at the Academia Cristiano Ronaldo, with the game against CF Estrela da Amadora in their sights.

Also back were some of the internationals who had played for their respective countries in recent days, namely Rui Silva, Francisco Trincão, Geovany Quenda and Conrad Harder. Hidemasa Morita spent time with the Performance Unit.

To prepare for the match on Saturday, at 6pm, at the Estádio José Gomes, coach Rui Borges also brought in young players Pedro Miguéis, Alexandre Brito, Kauã Oliveira, Lucas Anjos, Lucas Taibo, Luís Gomes, Rafael Besugo and Adam Arvelo, who trained with the first team.

Another training session is scheduled in Alcochete on Wednesday, behind closed doors.

The striker scores twice in a 0-3 win

Sporting Clube de Portugal claimed a comfortable 0-3 win over CF Estrela da Amadora at the Estádio José Gomes, making it four Liga Portugal wins in a row for Rui Borges' men. The team remain top of the table with seven games remaining of the 2024/25 season.

Borges had to make adjustments due to injuries, and decided to give starts to Eduardos, Quaresma and Felicíssimo. The initial XI also featured the return of captain Gonçalo Inácio.

On the day of an eclipse in Portugal, there was nothing capable of dimming the shine of Viktor Gyökeres, who was in exceptional form. He soon threatened the opposition goal, as after just 35 seconds he combined with Geovany Quenda and shot well, requiring a good save by opposition goalkeeper João Costa.

Matheus Reis had another chance for Sporting CP, after seven minutes. He got into the area at the end of a move that also involved Gyökeres, but the Brazilian's strong strike hit the crossbar.

Five minutes later, off a free kick by Zeno Debast, the ball bounced capriciously in the CF Estrela da Amadora area, causing much confusion. The home defence eventually managed to clear the danger.

The hosts contained Sporting CP's momentum and in the 15th minute they advanced into the opposition's half for the first time. However, Alan Ruiz's shot from distance went wide of the target.

Amidst some aggressive play from Estrela da Amadora, Sporting CP lost some control of possession. So much so that, off a quick transition, the home side once again approached the area defended. Matheus Reis cut out the threat in the nick of time.

Things swung firmly in Sporting CP's favour when Guilherme Montóia was sent off in the 34th minute, following a reckless challenge on Iván Fresneda.

Three close chances followed: Francisco Trincão shot over after linking up with Debast and Gyökeres; the Swedish striker had another effort cleared away; then, his header was kept out by an Estrela da Amadora side clinging on until the interval.

At half-time, Rui Borges brought on Geny Catamo, to use Mozambican's speed to break through the lines.

The opening goal finally came on 52 minutes, in several stages: Sporting CP benefited from a free kick. Ousmane Diomande was fouled in the penalty area. Afterwards, VAR signaled the infraction, the refereeing team reviewed the move and awarded the spot kick. Gyökeres dispatched the penalty for his 29th goal of the season.

Os Leões came close to increasing their lead in the 60th minute, with an improvised shot from Catamo, superbly saved by João Costa. On the rebound, Quenda sent a firm hit wide. Four minutes later, another decisive intervention from the goalkeeper prevented Matheus Reis' cross from reaching Trincão.

In the 78th minute, João Costa, competing with Viktor Gyökeres for the role of the most decisive player on the pitch, got the better of the Swede, who ran at speed on the right and released a shot saved by the goalkeeper.

However, Costa was unable to do anything to prevent Quenda's goal in the 81st minute. Following a pass from Gyökeres, he dribbled past an opposition defender and, from a slight angle to the right, placed the ball into the net.

Whilst Estrela de Amadora had a goal disallowed, there would be no doubt about the third of the game. Gyökeres suffered an obvious pull back in the penalty area and, from the spot, shot hard inside the left post to round off the victory.

Sporting CP: Rui Silva [GK], Matheus Reis (Ricardo Esgaio, 84’), Zeno Debast, Viktor Gyökeres, Francisco Trincão (Conrad Harder, 84’), Iván Fresneda (Geny Catamo, 46’), Gonçalo Inácio [C], Ousmane Diomande, Geovany Quenda (Biel Teixeira, 90’), Eduardo Quaresma and Eduardo Felicíssimo (Henrique Arreiol, 90’).

The coach talks before Liga Portugal Matchday 27

Rui Borges spoke to the media ahead of Sporting Clube de Portugal's return to action, which takes place on Saturday away to CF Estrela da Amadora.

CF Estrela Amadora's league position
"There are no easy games. Football is increasingly more difficult and demanding. We will face a team that need points, that will give their all for points, at a smaller stadium, with fervent fans. I believe that our travelling fans will also make us feel as if we were playing at home, as has been the case the season, but it will be a difficult game against a team that are playing at home and at a difficult ground for all teams -especially the big ones. Estrela are a very athletic team, strong on their quick attacks and on transitions, and they look for set pieces a lot. They are also dangerous from long balls, and on a defensive level I believe that they will want to be pressing at times and at others play in a lower block."

Sporting CP's fitness after international commitments
"It's difficult to say. We had 15 days off, but we didn't train the same because, unfortunately or fortunately, Sporting CP have a lot of players in the national teams -both senior and Under-21s, who play a lot of minutes. It was very difficult to work; we only had the whole team together today, but I believe the team will give a good response."

Reduced options in midfield
"It's nothing new. Since we arrived, there have been a lot of setbacks and we have to be able to fight against them and find ways to be competitive and honour the club we represent. Morten Hjulmand won't be available and Hidemasa Morita won't be either. We have the players who have already played: Zeno Debast and Ricardo Esgaio. It won't stray too far from there, as that's what has happened in the past. Whoever plays will give a good response and will be able to help the team in the best way."

Pedro Gonçalves' possible return
"I really wanted to have Pote, Dani Bragança and everyone else back, but it's not possible. Pote is already in the final part of his recovery, and he's working on the pitch and with the ball, but he's not training with the team yet. All I can do is wait and get the ok from the medical team. He has to go through all the processes, and he's going through them well. Let's see if it's the next game or not that he's back: it's very much day-to-day and a question of passing all the medical tests. I believe his return is coming soon, because he's already in that final stretch."

Jeremiah St. Juste's fitness
"He's 100 percent fit and available to play, but him not doing so has been down to the coach's choices. He's doing well, training well and he's another solution that we have. Since I arrived, he's had a lot of games and that shows the confidence we have in him. He just didn't play when he was injured, but he was almost always a solution."

Eduardo Quaresma's starting role
"Debast must play as a midfielder because we have no other solutions. He has played very well as a midfielder, but he is adapting to the position. For Zeno to step up, someone will have to play as a midfielder, like Esgaio, St. Juste or Quaresma. Fortunately, for that position I have more options than normal, but whoever plays, I will be comfortable."

Managing Gonçalo Inácio's fitness
"We have to be careful with him. He played a lot of minutes for the national team, as did others, but in this final stretch the most important thing is to understand what is best for the team and not expose the team to problems -and be as competitive as possible. It is what it is. Everyone wants to help. If we have to make an extra effort, we will have to do so, because the most important thing is to reach the end of the season and get what we want."

No room for error
"The final stretch will be difficult for everyone. The difficulty will be great and all the teams will have difficult games, whether at home or away. Whoever is the most competent will be champion and, therefore, I always say that we have to be competent, but I'm not thinking further ahead than tomorrow's game, trying to be competent, winning, getting three more points and remaining in first place. It will always be like this, until the end."

Francisco Trincão attracting interest from other clubs
"Trincão was already attractive to the market and, before he went away with the national team, I made a point of talking about him. He has done a spectacular job and was one of the players I was most surprised by. His quality is recognised by everyone, but what he works for, what he gives to the team and his commitment have been phenomenal. Maybe his work in the last few games at Sporting CP was not valued much because he didn't score a goal, and now he scored two for the national team, but Trincão was the same for the national team as he is at Sporting CP. He has been very important for us, I'm happy with the two goals for Portugal, and he deserves it."

The coach's assessment of the win against FC Famalicão

At the end of the Sporting Clube de Portugal's 3-1 victory over FC Famalicão, Rui Borges was present at the press conference to review the contest.

Analysis of the match
"It was a first half in which we started very well and then we lost some confidence. We were dropping too low, and we let FC Famalicão gain confidence. They got closer to our goal and then they got the penalty. After the penalty, we improved and grew again with our positive energy. We ended the first half with clear opportunities to make it 2-1. At halftime, we didn't change anything, we just improved a few things. We grew and were clearly better than FC Famalicão. Until the sending off of Maxi Araújo, we were clearly the dominant side and created several goalscoring opportunities.

The influence of Viktor Gyökeres
"There are no words to describe Viktor. In the coming years, there is unlikely to be a player of his quality in our league again. He is a player who is out of the ordinary. He gives us a lot and is looked for in that sense, even if the rest of the team help out too. He is a difference maker and will continue to be so. His quality is unequivocal and phenomenal."

Support from Sportinguistas
"Since our first game, the fans have been fantastic. They never stop supporting us, both at home and away. They will be very important in the final stretch. I feel like a happy coach and with more and more confidence that we will all be very happy in the end."

A fair result
"We could have scored more goals. FC Famalicão had 15 minutes in which they were better than us, in the first half, and the second half was all us until the final minutes. The victory is a fair one, even if we could have scored more goals."

The international break
"The break will be good for us to get more and more solutions. We want to have everyone available, because the team's confidence is different when that is the case. The team are fantastic and have given a very good response. The confidence, intensity and energy are better now. I hope to be able to have the squad increasingly available to respond to the eight 'finals' that remain."

Pedro Gonçalves
"I want to have him back as soon as possible. He is improving and is already doing individual work on the pitch. I can't say when he will return, it depends a lot on his day-to-day work and his confidence. He is doing better and on the right path. He is a different kind of player and will add a lot to the team."

Francisco Trincão
"Not much is said about him, but he's one of the players who has impressed me the most here. In addition to his individual quality, what he gives to the team is fantastic."

Hidemasa Morita
"He was tired and asked to come off. He's a very different kind of player in some ways and I like him a lot."

The calendar and pressure
"It depends on everyone's perspective. We have difficult games coming up away from home, just like other teams. We have to be competent. It's up to us and that's a good feeling. If we're very competent in the eight games that remain, we'll finish first."

Tactics
"In the first few games, we defended with a 4-4-2 and attacked with a 3-4-3. It's all a question of strategy, of what the game asks for and provides. The formation is something initial and then it changes. At times we defended with five at the back, others with four. It's all very relative. The problem is that we weren't able to train and acquire behaviours. What was missing in the first half was a little bit like that."

Ousmane Diomande
"He had a great game, regardless of the penalty he gave away. I haven't seen the game replay yet, but it was a moment in which he was a little late. He had a great game. He'll make mistakes sometimes, he's young and it's part of his growth. We have to understand that and support him. He reached a very high level quickly and has superb qualities. He'll be talked about for years."