Morita to rest v Bodø/Glimt, Sporting have replacement ready | OneFootball

The full recovery of Hidemasa Morita ended up reducing João Simões's playing time in Sporting's starting eleven. The 19-year-old midfielder has not started since the home match against Nacional, played on February 1 at Alvalade, but he could return to the starting lineup for the away game against Bodø/Glimt in the first leg of the Champions League round of 16.

The young player from Algarve has been something of a "joker" for Rui Borges in the European competition. In the eight matches played so far in the tournament, he only missed out on the starting eleven against Kairat Almaty in the opening round, a match in which he didn't even come off the bench. In the following round, against Napoli, he was a surprise inclusion in the starting lineup and, since then, has been a constant presence on Europe's biggest stage, also seeing his market value rise.

For the match in Norway, Rui Borges is considering some changes in midfield, taking into account the physical characteristics of the opponent and the synthetic pitch at Aspmyra Stadion. With greater endurance than Morita, Simões could offer more intensity and muscle to a sector expected to be highly demanding. Furthermore, the Japanese international's history of muscle injuries leads the coaching staff to prioritize some physical management, even with the postponement of the league match against Tondela.

The Sporting squad list also features the presence of Daniel Bragança. The midfielder recently started in the Champions League for the first time since the serious injury to his left knee suffered last season. The player from Ribatejo has already shown Rui Borges that he can play alongside Morten Hjulmand in a double pivot or further forward in the number 10 role, where he has been used more frequently since returning to competition. Still regaining his best form, he is expected, however, to be one of the players managed carefully, considering that the synthetic pitch is not ideal for athletes who have suffered ligament injuries.

In the same area, Zeno Debast is also an alternative. Although a natural center-back, the Belgian international has already shown he can play as a defensive midfielder, a solution gaining traction at a time when Giorgi Kochorashvili is still recovering from injury.

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