Rui Águas questions Martínez on Sporting starter: does it make sense? | OneFootball

Rui Águas does not understand how Francisco Trincão, a regular starter for Sporting, does not get more minutes with the National Team, especially after Roberto Martínez’s statements in which he said that the winger is one of the best in Europe. The Benfica legend also looked ahead to Benfica’s upcoming fixtures, namely the visit to Ajax’s home ground.

“As for Trincão, who was recently considered by Martínez to be ‘one of the best in Europe in his position’, does it make sense for him to have so little playing time?” says Rui Águas, questioning the contradiction between the national coach’s statement and the minutes he gives the Sporting player.

“It is a real pleasure to watch the three Portuguese midfielders chosen for the match against Armenia. João Neves, Vitinha, and Bruno Fernandes are true artists of the Portuguese midfield. But even so, is it possible to do without a defensive midfielder in more demanding matches, when we compete against the best teams in the world?” Rui Águas adds.

“Benfica then welcomes back its internationals, on the eve of the visit to Restelo, a stadium unfortunately loaned to Atlético. Taking into account the decisive European trip to Amsterdam right after, it is possible that the team chosen for the rehearsal may not differ much from the one Mourinho will field in the Champions League,” analyzes Rui Águas, countering the idea of possible squad rotation in the Portuguese Cup.

“Meanwhile, there was some alarm regarding the physical condition of Pavlidis and Sudakov, two of the most influential players in the current Benfica squad. Now, the team faces an important and diverse cycle, competing in just a few days, interestingly, in the three competitions in which it participates and where it aims to confirm its natural ambitions. A triple challenge of increasing difficulty,” concluded Rui Águas.

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