Sporting given big scare over Ioannidis, latest on the Greek | OneFootball

Fotis Ioannidis was the main absentee as Sporting returned to training last Tuesday. The Greek striker did not take to the pitch at the Cristiano Ronaldo Academy due to lower back pain and was limited to gym work.

According to Record, despite the initial alarm, the issue should not force the centre-forward into a lengthy spell on the sidelines. The expectation is that Rui Borges will be able to count on Fotis Ioannidis as early as Saturday’s home match against Alverca, scheduled for 8:30pm at Alvalade.

The pain in the lower back area is believed to be related to the workload the Greek international has been under at the start of the season. The 26-year-old will now be reassessed daily by the green-and-whites’ Performance Unit.

The situation warrants extra care given Ioannidis’ recent history. Last season, the striker missed a total of 29 official Sporting matches due to physical problems, although he has regained playing time and a starting spot at the beginning of the 2026/27 campaign.

In Tuesday’s session, Rui Borges already had Georgios Vagiannidis available, after the issue he picked up against Vitória de Guimarães, as well as Nestory Irankunda, who made his first appearance in on-pitch training. Nuno Santos and João Simões remain under the care of the medical department.

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