Vagiannidis' lay-off now known: Sporting change plans for Braga | OneFootball

Rui Borges was forced to change the plans he had drawn up for Sporting’s defence for the trip to Braga. Georgios Vagiannidis’ injury ruined a solution that would have allowed Maxi Araújo to be managed and left Rodrigo Dias much closer to a starting spot on the left flank.

According to the newspaper A Bola, the coaching staff’s initial idea was to move Iván Fresneda to the left side and hand the right-back role to Vagiannidis. That way, Maxi Araújo could be rested after a particularly demanding international break with Uruguay.

The Greek’s physical issue, however, completely disrupted that strategy. Vagiannidis felt muscle discomfort against Germany, was released from the national team and returned to Portugal to be reassessed by the Lions’ medical department. The estimated layoff should be between seven and ten days, putting his availability for Braga in serious doubt.

If his absence is confirmed, Fresneda will have to remain on the right flank, his usual position. In that scenario, Rodrigo Dias becomes one of the strongest options to fill the left side of the defence, especially as Moncef Zekri is still not in the best physical condition to immediately take on a starting role.

Maxi Araújo also remains a question mark. The Uruguayan has racked up many minutes for the national team and only finishes his international commitments on 6 October, against India, in Calcutta. The long trip and the limited recovery time before the match at the Pedreira are leading Sporting to seriously consider managing his workload.

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