After a hellish week, Rui Borges' plan to take Sporting to Jamor revealed | OneFootball

April has been an intense month for Sporting, and the last week was a perfect reflection of that. Between their elimination from the Champions League against Arsenal and the derby defeat to Benfica (2-1), the situation could have shaken the group, but Rui Borges kept his focus and guided the team to the Portuguese Cup final, after a draw at the Dragão against Porto.

Despite the recent setbacks, the coach never lost the dressing room. On the contrary, he drew on the players’ wounded pride and reminded them of how far they had already come, including reaching the Champions League quarter-finals — something that had not happened since 1982/83. The message was clear: no giving up, especially with important goals still at stake.

From a tactical point of view, Rui Borges once again shielded the group from outside noise and focused all attention on the tie. With no room for complaints, the team went to the Dragão with the first-leg advantage and a clearly defined plan.

In the first half, the Lions prioritised possession, forcing their opponents to chase the ball while also helping manage the physical strain on a squad under pressure — especially after Gonçalo Inácio’s early injury exit. Without taking many risks, Sporting controlled the tempo and went into the break having achieved their objective: keeping it goalless.

In the second half, the picture changed. As fatigue began to set in, the team dropped deeper, closed down the central areas — where Porto most often looked to create danger — and relied on quick transitions, albeit with less sharpness. The priority became holding out.

In that context, Hidemasa Morita took centre stage in midfield, especially after Morten Hjulmand went off. The Japanese midfielder stood out in the physical duels and in his ability to keep the team balanced, in a performance that reflected the identity demanded by the coach: intensity, aggression and commitment.

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