Former Sporting adviser slams Trincão exit: club won't be stronger | OneFootball

Rui Barreiro expressed concern over the major overhaul currently underway in Sporting’s squad. The former member of the Leonino Council lamented the departure of Francisco Trincão and believes the green and whites still do not have a squad strong enough to challenge in every competition.

Speaking to Desporto ao Minuto, Rui Barreiro admitted he is an admirer of the Portuguese international and questioned the sporting and financial reasoning behind the SAD’s decision. "I do not see Sporting becoming stronger without Francisco Trincão. These are not extraordinary figures at all, considering the player’s importance to the team’s results," he said.

The former director recalled that Trincão had recently renewed his contract until 2030 and stressed that the winger was one of the most influential figures in the lions’ recent history. "Just look at the minutes played to understand that Trincão was Sporting’s best player in recent seasons," he said, admitting there may be unknown factors behind the scenes that explain the transfer to Al Ahli.

The departures of Morten Hjulmand, Hidemasa Morita and the likely transfer of Pedro Gonçalves also leave Rui Barreiro uneasy. The former adviser admits Sporting is facing the end of a cycle, but believes the club’s structure will have to find worthy replacements. "With the departure of Hjulmand, Pedro Gonçalves and Trincão, there are some doubts, but we’ll see. The transfer window is not over yet," he stressed.

Although he views the signings made for midfield positively, Rui Barreiro believes the squad still shows weaknesses. The attack and the full-back positions are the areas that worry the former director most, especially due to Ioannidis’ physical problems and the inexperience of some alternatives. "Sporting still do not have the squad to challenge for the league title, the Champions League and every competition they are involved in," he concluded.

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