Sporting starter not fully fit, likely to miss clash with Paços de Ferreira | OneFootball

Gonçalo Inácio was excused from the National Team's duties due to muscle complaints, and his availability to face Paços de Ferreira in the Cup will only be determined after reassessment when the defender reports for work at the Academy. Nevertheless, Rui Borges is expected to rest the player.

The defender was a starter in the National Team's first game during this international break, against Ireland. The center-back ended up being substituted during the match. This change by Roberto Martínez was also due to a physical condition - a trauma caused by a blow to the left calf.

This situation not only took Gonçalo Inácio out of the second half of the match against Ireland, but also excluded him from the second match of the National Team against Hungary. Roberto Martínez decided to excuse the center-back from Sporting, as he has other options and is aware of the wear and tear the player has been subjected to.

Therefore, Gonçalo Inácio is already expected this Wednesday in Alcochete, where he will be reassessed by Sporting's medical team to understand his physical condition. The player has been extremely important for Rui Borges this season - he is the only ever-present player - so the coach will not risk his presence against Paços de Ferreira if he feels there is any risk of aggravating the trauma he suffered with the National Team.

The scenario gains even more strength considering that Sporting will enter a grueling cycle after the international break, with seven games in the span of 20 days. Therefore, the priority in the Portuguese Cup match will be to have the squad recovered and ready for the challenging tasks ahead, with matches in four different competitions.

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇵🇹 here.