Former Sporting assistant backs Rui Borges renewal: For the work... | OneFootball

Carlos Pereira, former assistant coach of Sporting, fully agrees with Rui Borges’ contract renewal until 2028, regardless of where the Lions finish in Liga Portugal Betclic and, consequently, whether or not they qualify for the league phase of next season’s Champions League.

"I agree with reinforcing confidence in the coach, especially because, despite the most recent results, second place is still not out of the question. Benfica still have difficult matches ahead and they can still drop points," argued the former coach, in comments to Record, stressing that the decision to renew Rui Borges should not be based solely on the most recent results.

"Above all, there has to be an overall assessment of the coach’s work. He was a two-time national champion and brought through several youngsters from the club’s academy, ultimately making the squad more productive and valuable with the introduction of those young players," believes the former Lions player as well, summing up: "Overall, given the work he has done, the renewal is more than deserved."

Carlos Pereira’s opinion does not change even if, in this final stretch of the season, Sporting fail to achieve what is currently the most likely scenario: returning to second place in the league and, in that way, securing direct entry into the Champions League league phase. "Even if they miss out on the Champions League, Sporting should renew Rui Borges’ contract," he concludes.

In closing, Paulo Bento’s former right-hand man at Sporting pointed to the factors that led to the Lions’ "painful" end to the season, highlighting above all the "many injuries" that hit the squad throughout the campaign. "At one point he had almost half the team in the 'hospital,' and that affects any coach’s work."

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