Rui Borges: Sporting’s starlet will reach the very top | OneFootball

Rui Borges reacted to Sporting’s defeat against Bayern Munich (3-1) in a press conference at the Allianz Arena. The coach praised João Simões and refused to talk about the transfer market. He also commented on Ousmane Diomande and Geny Catamo’s participation in the Africa Cup of Nations.

“He has above-average maturity and will clearly play at the highest levels. He didn’t surprise me. Last year he had a great season and unfortunately got injured. This year, maybe because of that break, he was more anxious to play and perhaps didn’t show up as well in pre-season, but we clearly recognize his value, otherwise he wouldn’t play, especially in games of this level of demand. He started in Naples and had a fantastic game. He’s been giving an enormous response,” he began, welcoming the return of Daniel Bragança.

“I’m not going to talk about the market. We’ve gained Dani. I’m happy to have him back. He has a very unique quality and in our style of play he can fill several positions. I think even physically he’s more transformed and I truly believe he will have a great second half of the season.”

The coach refuses to lament the players’ departures for the Africa Cup of Nations: “We have to release them from the 15th, those are the rules, so we can’t control it. They are important players, but I’m not going to complain about their absence. I want to have everyone available, but we will be strong and today was a clear demonstration that everyone is important and ready to play. Everyone understands the idea and believes in it. Individual talent can bring different things, but the game plan is clear. We will be competent, competitive, and we will continue with huge ambition and courage, because this group deserves a lot. They don’t get tired of winning, they want more, to keep showing they are good and that they can compete with the best.”

Rui Borges also spoke about the need for caution regarding accumulated fatigue: “We do an exceptional job managing workloads and extra fatigue. For example, today Inácio was left out due to a knock in the match at Luz and, since we’re already going to lose Ousmane, we decided not to take any risks. It’s a worrying aspect, we have fewer options and more players will have to play more consecutive minutes, so we have to find ways to keep them as fresh as possible and away from injuries. This month will be tough, with many games, but the players always want to play,” he concluded.

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