Rui Borges pulls Sporting starter aside and shakes things up | OneFootball

Rui Borges changed Maxi Araújo’s plans after a conversation between the two before the start of the season. The Sporting player stood out against Estoril and it is now known that he does not feel the most comfortable in the position he is currently playing for the Lions.

According to the newspaper A Bola, it was the coach of the Alvalade club who convinced the ‘number 20’ to take on the role of protagonist on the left flank for the green and whites, even though he feels much more comfortable as a wing-back or winger. However, by implementing a back four in the defensive sector, Rui Borges transformed the Uruguayan into a left-back with greater defensive balance, while still helping out in offensive movements.

The same source also reveals that the Sporting coach had a conversation with Maxi at the start of the season, in which he convinced him to be a solution in defense, where he could play a decisive role in the Sporting team. Although he fits into the coach’s ideas, this position also requires more physical effort, something the player had to deal with upon returning to competition.

The 25-year-old player has had a troubled start to the season, getting injured right in the first round of the league, against Casa Pia. Since then, Ricardo Mangas became Rui Borges’ first choice for the left flank of the green and whites, but with Maxi Araújo now fully recovered, the spot has already returned to him.

This season, wearing the Sporting shirt, Maxi Araújo – valued at 17 million euros – has only played six matches. Over the 339 minutes he has been used by Rui Borges, the Uruguayan international has yet to score, but he already has one assist.

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