Ioannidis could be set for big news at Sporting | OneFootball

Rui Borges may introduce Fotis Ioannidis for his debut with the lion on his chest in the next Sporting match - a visit to Famalicão - for the fifth round of the Liga Portugal Betclic. The Greek international arrived at Alvalade from Panathinaikos but had little time to showcase himself to the green and white coach.

To begin with, it's worth recalling that Fotis Ioannidis joined Sporting in an unexpected move when, close to the transfer market closing, news emerged about Conrad Harder's departure. The Dane indeed left Alvalade, and the lions signed the former Panathinaikos player to replace the new Leipzig recruit.

However, Ioannidis arrived at Sporting late, and so far, he has only had the opportunity to watch the Sporting - Porto match of the fourth round of the Liga Portugal Betclic, although he did so from the stands. At Panathinaikos, he played five matches this season, the same as the green and white team, which means he arrives with the necessary rhythm to compete.

In the next match, the most likely scenario is that Fotis Ioannidis will be introduced by Rui Borges as a substitute. This is because, at the moment, the starting striker position belongs to Luis Suárez, something the Sporting coach is unlikely to change unless forced to do so.

And although the probabilities aren't high, they do exist. This is because Luis Suárez is only expected to arrive in Portugal on the eve of Sporting's next match, as he is on duty with the Colombian national team. This factor may influence Rui Borges' decision, and in the meantime, Ioannidis is already working with his new teammates to be ready if called upon to contribute.

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