Sporting lose almost entire defence, Rui Borges decides in Alcochete | OneFootball

Sporting officially began preparations for the 2026/27 season with an unexpected problem at the heart of the defense. With Gonçalo Inácio, Zeno Debast and Ousmane Diomande unavailable due to commitments related to the World Cup and their respective holiday period, Rui Borges has only Eduardo Quaresma as a natural center-back available in the first team. Faced with this scenario, the solution was to call up three academy youngsters to join training in Alcochete.

The players chosen to strengthen the Lions squad are Bruno Ramos, Miguel Alves and Rafael Mota, three center-backs who will have the chance to prove themselves during pre-season and also at the training camp in Lagos. Among them, Bruno Ramos starts with an edge, as he is the only one who has already made his debut for the first team, having played minutes in the Portuguese Cup against Portimonense in the 2024/25 season.

The 21-year-old Brazilian center-back convinced Sporting’s decision-makers during his loan spell from Académico de Viseu, leading the club to trigger his €2 million buyout clause. Standing at 1.87 meters, Bruno Ramos stands out for his physical ability, speed in recovery, quality in build-up play, and versatility to operate both in the middle and on the right side of a back three. Last season, he made 19 appearances for the B team and scored one goal.

Miguel Alves, 20, arrives after a consistent season with the under-23 side, where he featured in 29 matches, scored one goal and provided one assist. Rafael Mota, meanwhile, a left-footed defender of just 19, split the season between the B team, the under-23s and the under-19s, gaining experience across several levels and showing room for future development.

While Inácio, Debast and Diomande have yet to return to training, Rui Borges will have these three youngsters as alternatives to fill out the most affected area of the Lions squad. Although Bruno Ramos appears to be the name most likely to earn space in the first team, Miguel Alves and Rafael Mota will also have an important opportunity to convince Sporting’s technical staff during this decisive stage of pre-season.

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