Rui Borges unfazed by whether Suárez misses Braga v Sporting | OneFootball

Sporting continue to prepare for their trip to Braga for the eighth round of the Liga Portugal Betclic, in a match scheduled for 9 October. Rui Borges faces the possibility of being unable to count on Luis Suárez, who is away on international duty with Colombia and is only expected to return to Lisbon from the 7th, just two days before the clash at the Pedreira.

The Colombian forward’s situation is receiving close attention from the Sporting coaching staff, but there is a scenario that allows them to approach preparations with greater peace of mind. The striker’s international call-up could force a change in the options for the attack, at a time when the Lions are trying to prepare for one of the most demanding fixtures on the calendar.

Fotis Ioannidis appears as the main candidate to take the centre-forward role, since he will finish his commitments with the Greece national team on 4 October, after the match against Germany in the Nations League. The Greek international will therefore have more time to return to training in Alvalade and prepare for the match against the side from Minho.

The forward, who is in his second season at Sporting, has made seven appearances this season, with two goals and two assists. Ioannidis is under contract with the Lions until June 2030 and could now receive an important opportunity to take on a bigger role if Suárez is unavailable for the match.

Rafael Nel also appears as an alternative for the attack, giving Rui Borges another option to manage the Colombian’s possible absence. With the trip to the Pedreira scheduled for 9 October, the Sporting coach is monitoring the progress of his internationals and preparing different scenarios for the attack.

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