After injury scare, Sporting have an update on Hjulmand's fitness | OneFootball

Sporting began preparations this Tuesday for the Portuguese Cup final against Torreense with an adaptation session at Jamor, but Morten Hjulmand’s absence ended up drawing attention. In addition to injured players João Simões and Zeno Debast, Iván Fresneda, Nuno Santos and Fotis Ioannidis were also under the care of the medical department, while the Sporting captain remained at the Cristiano Ronaldo Academy.

Despite his absence from the pitch at the National Stadium, Hjulmand’s situation is not causing concern within the club. The Danish midfielder stayed in Alcochete to follow a physical management plan, in a decision made jointly by Rui Borges and the medical department. The coach wants to protect one of the team’s most important players, especially after the strain felt against Gil Vicente, a match in which the 'number 42' returned to competition after injury and played the full 90 minutes.

The Denmark international had been sidelined for four matches due to a sprain in his right ankle suffered against Porto. After the win over Gil Vicente, Rui Borges even admitted that the midfielder was still not fully fit, which is why the priority now is to ensure he arrives at Jamor in the best possible condition.

The Cup final could also mark Hjulmand’s farewell to Sporting. The Sporting captain remains highly valued on the international market and is being closely followed by clubs such as Manchester City, Manchester United, Tottenham and Atlético de Madrid. Despite his 80 million euro release clause, there is an understanding between the player and the board led by Frederico Varandas to negotiate a possible departure for figures starting at 40 million.

Before the match against Torreense, Rui Borges will still oversee four more training sessions and will continue to carefully manage the physical workload of several players. Hjulmand is expected to return straight to the starting eleven, forming a midfield partnership with Hidemasa Morita. Ousmane Diomande, meanwhile, returns after suspension and will start alongside Gonçalo Inácio, while Eduardo Quaresma and Georgios Vagiannidis are competing for a place on the right side of the defence.

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