Expert: Sporting to face deep Kairat block, in-depth analysis | OneFootball

Rui Malheiro has analyzed the Kairat Almaty team. The emblem of Kazakhstan is Sporting's first opponent in the new edition of the Champions League and they are set to meet next Thursday. Despite the superiority on paper, Rui Borges asked his pupils not to underestimate their opponent.

"At Alvalade, Kairat is likely to present itself in a medium-low/low block, with great solidarity at the level of coverages, and which usually seeks a greater density in the central corridor, always ready to break rhythms through tactical fouls, and acute protection of the area zone, in order to prevent clean shots", says the specialist to the Reord newspaper.

Next, Rui Malheiro moved on to the analysis of Kairat with the ball: "Then, with the ball, hopes are kept for the possibility of exploiting counterattacks, through Jorginho, crucial in this aspect, and young Satpayev, both references of a possible vertical construction, and also capable of winning fouls in the offensive midfield that allow the scrutiny of lateral set pieces, always with Martynovich, Sorokin and Arad as aerial references for the attack on the first and second ball".

Despite the low block, the specialist states that the opponent presents some insecurities, which can be advantages for a trio of Sporting players: “The Almaty formation is far from showing unequivocal security in the defensive process. Quite the contrary. The possible combinations between Vagiannidis, Quenda and Trincão on the right could create a strong side of the lion's attack, capable of promoting situations of superiority, then looking for delayed finishes in the frontal space or the search for crossing to the second post, where the rival shows more defensive gaps".

“Other important aspects will be the offensive impetuosity and high rhythm with which Sporting will enter the match, seeking to take advantage, through several finishes, of Kalmurza's nervousness, as well as the way it will probe the interior game, with Pote, Trincão and Suárez being able to promote imbalances in the lines and in the half-spaces, to then come out, mainly in a combinative register, to finishing zones", concludes Rui Malheiro.

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