Ex-Benfica striker urges Rui Borges for more game time at Sporting | OneFootball

Rafael Nel experienced intense days at Sporting, in a short period that placed him between the main team and the 'B' team. On Monday night, the 20-year-old forward was included in Rui Borges' squad for the classic at Estádio do Dragão, having performed warm-up exercises and watched the match from the bench, a remarkable experience despite not being used.

After the game, Nel - who was part of his training at Benfica - did not return to Lisbon with the rest of the squad and went to Paços de Ferreira, where the B team was concentrated. Eligible for not having played minutes with the main squad, the young player started in the 21st round match of the Liga Portugal 2 and had a direct influence on the result, scoring the first goal and winning the penalty that led to the third.

After that contribution, the striker returned to the main group and began, this Thursday, preparations for the match against Famalicão. The context opens up opportunities for him: Luis Suárez is suspended and Ioannidis is still recovering from injury, leaving few natural options for the forward position.

Faced with the possibility of being an option, Nel reacted naturally. "I'm always ready (laughs). It's the coach's choice, not mine. The only thing I can control is the work I show during the week. That's what I control and that's what I'll focus on," he said in a statement to Sport TV after receiving the man of the match award in the game against Paços de Ferreira.

The scenario takes on curious contours when looking at the recent past. Rafael Nel's only appearance for the main team happened on February 15, 2024, in a European match introduced by Ruben Amorim - who is on Tottenham's radar. Two years later, on the same day, the forward is once again on the brink of an opportunity, now under the command of Rui Borges.

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