Leonino exclusive: Nuno Saraiva on Sporting's draw with AVS, inexcusable | OneFootball

In Nuno Saraiva’s view, Sporting could not afford to slip up against AVS, in the matchday 31 fixture of the National Championship. The draw against the side already relegated to the second division, the controversial refereeing in the match, and the upcoming challenges and goals for the season were the topics commented on by the Club’s former director in this Leonino exclusive.

"I expected there not to have been so much player rotation, despite the numerous injuries affecting the squad. I don’t understand how Daniel Bragança is not a starter and why Maxi Araújo came on so late in the match... I also think there was some bad luck, and the opposing goalkeeper put in a great performance. Now, AVS are bottom of the league, they have already been relegated... It is unacceptable for a team, regardless of the circumstances and the fatigue, not to manage more than a draw", he began by saying.

The match was marked by Pedro Ramalho’s controversial refereeing. For the Sporting supporter, there was a penalty that should have been awarded in favor of the lions, while the penalty for the opposition should not have been given. "The refereeing team was absolutely bizarre. I think there was a penalty that should have been awarded to Sporting. The AVS center-back stamps on Rafael Nel’s Achilles tendon, it is an extremely dangerous challenge. I cannot understand, except through a lack of willingness, why such an obvious penalty was not given. As for the Morita incident, I cannot see any handball at all. This is one of those penalties that, to me, makes absolutely no sense, unless we want footballers to be table football figures, with no arms, and when they jump not to use their arms as a way of gaining momentum", he said.

Sporting no longer depend on themselves to qualify for the Champions League. With four games left to play, Nuno Saraiva believes the Club will achieve this objective. "We do not depend on ourselves as we should have if we had won yesterday... It does not cross my mind that we will not beat Tondela, although it also did not cross my mind that Sporting would draw with AVS. But, be that as it may, I believe Sporting will beat Tondela, and Benfica’s schedule is theoretically much more difficult than ours. Therefore, I believe that from that point of view we can still have hope of that second position", he commented.

To conclude, the Club’s former director is very positive about the renewal of Rui Borges, despite the risk of failing to meet the objectives. "It makes sense to renew with Rui Borges. He is also a coach who clearly has the squad with him. He is a coach to whom Sporting owe, at the very least, the benefit of the doubt. I have absolutely no doubts about his quality. We were among the eight best teams in Europe, we were champions last season... Therefore, I have no doubt at all that Sporting should renew with Rui Borges, regardless of how this season ends. Now, there is one thing I do know - We cannot go into another season with ambition while having only one top-level striker", he concluded.

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