Rui Malheiro previews Sporting v Kairat, notes Portuguese in Kazakh side | OneFootball

Rui Malheiro analyzed the Kairat Almaty team, which will face Sporting in the first round of the Champions League. The expert expects an opponent to present themselves in a low block and highlights the Portuguese Jorginho and Dastan Satpayev, the ‘brain’ of the Kazakh team. Also, Rui Borges does not expect any easy games.

“At Alvalade, Kairat should present themselves in a mid-low/low block, with great solidarity in terms of coverage, and usually seeks greater density in the central corridor, always ready to break up the rhythm through tactical fouls, and sharp protection of the area in order to prevent clean shots,” the expert told the newspaper Record.

Next, Rui Malheiro moved on to analyze Kairat in possession: “Then, with the ball, hopes are pinned on the possibility of exploiting counterattacks, through Jorginho, who is key in this aspect, and the young Satpayev, both of whom are references for possible vertical build-up, and also capable of winning fouls in the attacking midfield that allow for lateral set-piece opportunities, always with Martynovich, Sorokin, and Arad as aerial references for attacking the first and second ball.”

Despite the low block, the expert states that the opponent shows some insecurities, which could be advantages for a trio of Sporting players: “The Almaty team is far from demonstrating unequivocal security in their defensive process. Quite the opposite. Possible combinations between Vagiannidis, Quenda, and Trincão on the right could create a strong side of the Lions’ attack, capable of creating superiority, then seeking cutbacks in the frontal space or looking for crosses to the far post, where the rival shows more defensive gaps.”

“Other important aspects will be the offensive drive and high tempo with which Sporting will start the match, seeking to take advantage, through several shots, of Kalmurza’s nervousness, as well as the way they probe the inside game, with Pote, Trincão, and Suárez being able to create imbalances between the lines and in the half-spaces, then moving, mainly through combinations, into finishing areas,” Rui Malheiro concludes.

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