Sporting problems! Rui Borges lists players back from internationals hurt | OneFootball

Rui Borges gave a preview this Thursday, April 2, of Sporting vs Santa Clara. When asked about his attacking options, given that he cannot count on Luis Suárez, the coach assured that he has other alternatives, but dropped a bombshell: Gonçalo Inácio, Morten Hjulmand, Rui Silva, Pote and Rafael Nel returned from their respective national teams carrying issues.

"Good headaches, it’s part of the job. It was one of the biggest difficulties. I believe training gives a lot to a team, that repetition matters. Arriving here and not being able to train, in the middle of the season, left me very stressed. It’s part of my growth and adaptation. Tomorrow’s game... is about rest, getting them mentally prepared. They know what they have to do. We are focused on who we are as a team. Through videos and images, and with the little we do on the pitch, we try to show some tactical ideas", he began by saying, regarding the lack of training time.

"Attack without Suárez? There are alternatives. Pote can play, we have Nel... We’ll see what we can put out tomorrow. Morten came back ill, Inácio came back carrying a knock, Rui carrying a knock, Pote lacking match fitness. We’ll see what we can do and go in with a team that is capable", Rui Borges admitted, later adding that the young forward also returned with complaints.

At the moment, the green-and-whites sit third in the National Championship standings, with 65 points won. Benfica are third as well, with 65 (having played one more game), while Porto lead the competition with 72 points (also having played one more game).

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