Eduardo Quaresma faces baptism of fire at Sporting, kicking off soon... | OneFootball

The moment has arrived for Eduardo Quaresma. The young Sporting player will replace Ousmane Diomande in the upcoming games, as the Ivorian international will be absent to participate in the African Cup of Nations. This Thursday, against Santa Clara, will be the first test.

Despite being part of one of the decisive moments for Sporting's championship win, the truth is that the 'number 72' has not been a regular choice for Rui Borges. However, he has a new opportunity to demonstrate his value to the coach, as he is expected to pair with Gonçalo Inácio in the lion's defense.

Changes in this regard are only expected in January, when Zeno Debast returns 100% to Sporting's options. However, Quaresma will have the December games to show competence and value, not being easily overtaken by the Belgian international, who is dealing with a muscle injury in his left thigh, but could return as early as 2025.

All things considered, Sporting will have a weakened defense for more than a month. The final phase of the African competition will take place between December 21 and January 18, with Diomande expected to miss a total of six games for the lions: Santa Clara (Portuguese Cup), V. Guimarães, Rio Ave, Gil Vicente, and Casa Pia (National Championship) and Vitória again (Allianz Cup).

This sports season, wearing the Sporting jersey, Eduardo Quaresma - valued at 17 million euros - has only played ten matches. At the start of the season, the player participated in a total of 631 minutes, scoring one goal and providing one assist in his personal tally.

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