Rui Borges sad Sporting player didn’t score, he admits he felt sorry | OneFootball

Rui Borges was present at the Artur Agostinho Auditorium and provided an analysis to the journalists of the 3-0 victory against Marinhense. The coach expressed satisfaction with the triumph, but lamented that Rodrigo Ribeiro was unable to score a goal in the match.

"I give a very positive note for the seriousness, humility, dedication, and calmness we showed. A more intense first half, with the ball, and a slower second half, but where we were serious in transitions. These games can end up being dangerous because we might allow the opposing team to counter-attack, but we remained serious and demanding with each other until the end," he began by saying, then speaking about the lions' striker.

"Very honestly, I was pleased with everyone's performance. There are individual details where players are in the process of improvement, but they are aware of the skills they need to work on. I was very happy with the whole team; they all stayed connected and serious. Sad only because Rodrigo Ribeiro didn't score a goal. He played a beautiful game, and I was sorry he didn't have the luck to score, because he deserved to debut in that aspect as well. He is a kid who has shown enormous growth, and I think he can play as a forward and behind the forward. He is refined, a technical prodigy, making good and different decisions."

Rui Borges said the player will evolve even more in the B team: "He is very focused, and that's why he played up front, while in the B team he has played in another position - the one he trains in the A team. This was the conversation we had with him at the start of the season: sometimes kids want to take a step ahead of their moment. Rodrigo appeared very early. The Second League will give him more skills, demands other things from him. I usually say I only control 20% of the team's performance because the rest are individual and collective decision-making. And more than him going to the First League, having 200 minutes, he needed to understand that being a Sporting player, it's better to play 2,000 minutes in the B team, score goals, and grow. And this natural, continuous growth will provide him with things that training doesn't give."

The coach also spoke about the injured players: "Zeno Debast is within the expected period for his recovery. It may still take some time, and I don't believe he will be in the upcoming games. I believe and hope João Simões will be ready for the match against Club Brugge. He was left out mainly as a precaution," he stated.

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