Player yet to feature this season tries to win over Rui Borges at Sporting | OneFootball

João Simões is back among Sporting's options and could use the coming weeks to regain ground in Rui Borges' pecking order. The midfielder was included in the squad for the draw against Arouca, although he remained on the bench throughout the match.

The Sporting player has recovered from the physical problem that kept him off the pitch for several months and even required surgery. Before returning to the first team's matchday squad, João Simões had already picked up minutes with Sporting B to regain match fitness.

The international break could now be particularly important for the midfielder. Issa Doumbia has been called up by Italy and Silas Andersen will be with Denmark's under-21s, leaving Rui Borges with fewer options to work with in midfield.

Sergi Altimira and Pedro Lima remain in Alcochete, as does João Simões, and they are expected to take on much of the specific midfield work during this period. The coaching staff may also call on youngsters from the academy ranks to complete the sessions.

Before the injury, João Simões was seen as an important part of Sporting's project and was gaining ground with the first team. The long spell on the sidelines halted that progress, forcing the player to start almost from scratch again in the battle for minutes.

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