After controversy, Morten Hjulmand handed update at Sporting | OneFootball

Morten Hjulmand has been the most talked-about name in recent days at Alvalade. The midfielder and captain of Sporting, who was left out of the squad for the match against Nacional due to the instability experienced in the final hours of the transfer window, is back in contention. This scenario had already been anticipated by Rui Borges at the end of the match against the islanders and was succinctly confirmed on the eve of the game.

In a few words, the coach clarified the situation regarding the Danish international: "There is no issue with Morten Hjulmand. He is a great captain, a leader, an example. He is someone the group trusts. What Rui [Borges] thinks about this is that he has a great captain. That’s all there is to it, nothing more. I won’t talk about Hjulmand anymore, that’s it. He will be a starter." The coach also left open the possibility of changes to the starting eleven for tonight’s match against AVS, already with an eye on the upcoming clash with Porto.

In this context, the game opens the door to several changes in the team, especially for players who have had less prominence this season. Starting with the goal, João Virgínia is set to start, allowing Rui Silva to rest. There should also be changes on the flanks, with Iván Fresneda and Maxi Araújo being rested, making way for Georgios Vagiannidis on the right and Ricardo Mangas on the left.

In central defense, Ousmane Diomande is expected to be managed, with Eduardo Quaresma and Gonçalo Inácio forming the central duo. In midfield, the main certainty is the return of Hjulmand, who should play alongside Hidemasa Morita, although Giorgi Kochorashvili also appears as an alternative to get some minutes.

On the wings, Luís Guilherme and Geny Catamo remain options, while Daniel Bragança is expected to assume the number 10 role, as part of a physical management strategy for Francisco Trincão. Up front, there is still uncertainty regarding the main striker. With Fotis Ioannidis unavailable, Luís Suárez emerges as the main option, although he is not expected to play the full 90 minutes. Rafael Nel, who has stood out for the B team, is an alternative, as is the possibility of adapting the new signing Souleymane Faye to more central areas.

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