Sporting’s likely XI vs Alverca, Rui Borges plans Cup shake-up | OneFootball

João Virgínia, Georgios Vagiannidis, Eduardo Quaresma, Matheus Reis, and Ricardo Mangas; Rayan Lucas and Giorgi Kochorashvili; Geovany Quenda, Hidemasa Morita, Alisson Santos, and Fotis Ioannidis. This is expected to be the starting eleven for Sporting under Rui Borges for the quarter-finals of the League Cup.

The coach of the lions is going to make a complete overhaul, as he admitted at the end of the match with Tondela, since Sporting's squad has only two days of rest between both matches. Virgínia returns to the starting lineup, with a defense unprecedented this season. Vagiannidis and Mangas will occupy the flanks, with Quaresma and Matheus as center-backs.

In the midfield, Rayan Lucas is expected to have the opportunity to showcase himself, partnering with Giorgi Kochorashvili. The wings will be managed by Geovany Quenda and Alisson Santos, with Hidemasa Morita playing further forward than usual, supporting Fotis Ioannidis.

Sporting returns to the field on Tuesday, October 28, against Alverca. The match, counting for the quarter-finals of the League Cup, against the team led by Custódio, will be played at Estádio José Alvalade, at 20:15.

In the same round of the previous edition, the lions defeated Nacional 3-1. In the final four held in Leiria, Rui Borges' team defeated Porto in the 'semis' (1-0) with a goal from Viktor Gyokeres and fell in the final, against Benfica, in the penalty shootout after a 1-1 draw in regular time.

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