Borges hits back at critics, confirms new signing after Sporting v PSG | OneFootball

After Sporting’s victory over PSG by 2-1, Rui Borges attended the press conference at the Artur Agostinho Auditorium. The coach of the Alvalade club sent a message to all the critics who accused him of never winning the big games since taking charge of the Lions and confirmed Souleymane Faye as a new signing.

"I think you won’t ask me anymore if I can’t beat big teams. No, I don’t pay attention to that. It’s just noise, nothing more. I focus a lot on my work, on the path we’ve been on. Work will always give the best answer to everyone," he began by saying.

First analysis of the match

"It’s the feeling of a job well done. A great victory. These are three hard-fought points against a great team. We had many difficulties throughout the 90 minutes, but we managed to do what I asked for: cohesion and passion. We knew we were going to suffer against the European Champions, the best team in Europe. They have a lot of individual and collective quality. We knew how to endure in the first half, struggling to connect our play. We came out bolder in the second half. I didn’t say much at halftime. The substitutions helped and we forced PSG to run back. We had some luck with the goals, but that’s part of being bold. In defense, the group showed its quality and the friendship they have in the team, how much they want to win. We need to keep our feet on the ground. We have a tough match in Arouca and that’s our UEFA Champions League. I thank our fans for the energy they gave us. They were very important, they were the 12th man. It was tough, but we had to believe and it was beautiful to see all the fans at the end of the game. May it always be like this and not just in the UEFA Champions League. The players deserve the applause, and not just today. A call to the fans: in these last months, the support at the end of the game will be very important. May this spirit of victory, unity, and belief continue."

Luis Suárez

"We knew what he would bring us, it doesn’t surprise us. We knew his characteristics, personality, character. Today we needed him and I told him before the game. It was going to be a game similar to the one in Munich, where he did very well. Today he did an extraordinary job, as he has done in every match. The two goals are the team’s merit, not just his."

Statements from Luis Enrique

"I understand. They played a great match, that’s for sure. Besides the disallowed goals, they had some chances and pressed us, but there’s another side. Football has various strategies. In our league, we also face teams with a low block. The team was fantastic, as it was in Munich. We were very focused and, in the second half, we were bolder. (…) With our weapons, I couldn’t ask more from our team."

International impact of the victory

"Today we are the best, tomorrow we could be the worst. We deserve the joy of these three points, the players made Sporting history, but we have to prepare for the match against Arouca."

Transfer market

"Souleymane Faye, who hasn’t been presented yet, has already signed and, like Luís Guilherme, is a player for the future. They are two young players in whom we see value. We believe a lot in what they can bring to Sporting."

UEFA Champions League

"The ambition to reach the Round of 16 is because we’ll have two fewer games on the calendar. If we don’t get there, nothing erases what they did today and in every match. I keep my feet on the ground and take it game by game. I’m happy to beat the European Champions with many difficulties, but I value those who play and run. We can’t train much because we have so many games, but the team has responded. We only think about the next one. If we win, we’ll go down in Sporting’s history and that’s what we have to focus on. We achieved the first goal of getting through the group stage. Now, we want to go straight to the Round of 16. That’s it, nothing else changes."

Different strategy

"Sporting and the players are aware of reality. We recognize the value on the other side. We can’t compare PSG to the teams in our league. We knew we were going to suffer. We can’t always be Sporting pressing the opponent, creating lots of chances. Today we had few and we had to take them, and that’s what happened."

Match preparation

"Since we have so many games, it’s about resting, watching videos, and using the little time on the pitch to explain some behaviors. We focus on the simple things. There are things we don’t change, and then we add something individual and strategic. Preparation didn’t change at all compared to other games. It’s about making them realize that these are matches where we won’t have the ball as much, and we have to believe that it’s part of the game. If we’re focused, we’ll be able to show that we’re good. We lacked a bit of that in the first half."

Sweetest victory of your career?

"No, that was with Vitória, last season, which gave us the league title."

Confidence

"Victory gives us more confidence for the rest of the season and to face the next matches, which are tough. The toughest will be in Arouca. As Pote said, the league is our Champions League."

Strategy

"Our first connection always had to be longer on the foot. PSG must be the strongest team in reacting to loss and defensive transition. They are very intense. That’s why Luis Suárez was so important, with whom we managed to connect many times in the first half. He did a spectacular job. What was missing, yes, was taking the next step. We struggled with that because they are so intense. If we had had more of that ability, I believe we would have created more problems for Paris Saint-Germain."

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