Exclusive Leonino - Rui Borges told Sporting player to step up their game | OneFootball

Rui Borges assured Fotis Ioannidis that he needs to 'step on the pedal' to secure a spot in Sporting's starting eleven. As revealed by our Newspaper in this Exclusive Leonino, the Greek player must prove himself, as the coach is delighted with Luis Suárez.

According to information gathered from a source close to the process, Luis Suárez's excellent performances for the green and white emblem and Colombia - having scored four goals in the victory against Venezuela (6-3) - currently place him as the number one in the striker hierarchy for the lions' coach.

Rui Borges thus has a good headache to solve in the upcoming games. For now, it is the forward signed from Almería who starts in the 'pole position,' a scenario that could change depending on the performance of both athletes in games and training at the Academy.

After showing interest and making offers to Panathinaikos for the striker last summer, the lions returned to the charge, and the signing was eventually completed. The transfer could reach a total of 25 million euros, contingent upon meeting certain objectives, an amount in line with what the Greeks were asking for a year ago.

In the last 2024/25 season, playing for Panathinaikos, Fotis Ioannidis - valued at 15 million euros - had numbers below expectations. In 42 matches played, the forward scored 11 times and made two assists. This season, he has played five games for the Greeks, but without any goal contributions.

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