Nuno Santos set to start against Bodø/Glimt – Sporting? Rui Borges responds | OneFootball

Rui Borges was questioned about the possibility of Nuno Santos being part of Sporting's starting eleven in the match against Bodø/Glimt, the first leg of the Champions League round of 16, since Maxi Araújo will be unavailable due to suspension.

"The key is our ability to be prepared for the physical demands of the 90 minutes. They are an intense, vertical team... we have to be prepared and balanced. As we like to have the ball, we need to be clear-headed and precise in our balance, as they are strong in transitions. Left-back? If Nuno doesn't play, I have to make an adaptation... it could also be Moreira. That might be the way. Sometimes..." he began to respond.

"Nuno is coming off a very long break, from a very serious injury. Physically, Nuno is not yet Nuno. The technical and tactical part is there, he is an extraordinary player. He understands what he feels and thinks. From the outside, we also have that perception. Even when talking to the player, he might be taking it slow but says he's fine. It wasn't a normal injury and we can't escape that. He's a warrior. If there's anyone who could go through this and come back the same, it's him," Rui Borges added.

It's worth remembering that Sporting finished the group stage of the prestigious competition in seventh place, with 16 points accumulated in eight matches played. The green and whites ended with five victories (Athletic Bilbao, PSG, Club Brugge, Marseille, and Kairat), one draw (Juventus), and two defeats (Bayern Munich and Napoli).

The green and white team will return to the field next Wednesday, March 11, against Bodø/Glimt. The match, counting for the first leg of the Champions League round of 16, against the Norwegian team, will be played at 20:00, at Aspmyra Stadion.

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