Sporting injuries, Benfica and Porto rows, Rui Borges speaks out | OneFootball

Sporting travels to Ribatejo this Sunday, March 21, at 6:00 PM, to face Alverca in the 27th round of the League. On the eve of the match, Rui Borges gave a preview in a press conference at the Cristiano Ronaldo Academy and addressed various topics, including the criticisms from Benfica and Porto regarding the postponement of the game with Tondela.

"It will be a tough task also because of what the Alverca team is. They have grown, and therefore, it will be a difficult game. We will have to assess until tomorrow the physical and mental recovery of the team. The most important thing is to recover them and 'connect' them as much as possible to the demands of the next game."

Changes in perspective

"Yes, it is possible that there may be some changes. We will have to assess until tomorrow how we are feeling about the team. Regarding the left side, we don't have Maxi, but we have Nuno Santos and Ricardo Mangas, who is back. They are two solutions, and either one gives us guarantees."

Injury of Luis Guilherme

"The stoppage could be around four to six weeks, it has to do with the ankle. It happened at the last moment of training, alone... There are things we can't control. Accumulated fatigue? It is part of the greatness and demands of the Club. Of course, there was emotional and physical fatigue beyond normal, but we have to know how to deal with it. It's not just now; it's been like this forever. We have played many games and are entering a very busy April full of games. It's part of being where we are, but we have to find solutions to continue to dignify Sporting very well."

April with games on all fronts and several players called to the national teams

"There are many, but it is what it is. We can't escape that. They also want to play for their national teams, they are on the verge of a World Cup. I am happy, above all, to see them in the national teams, achieving another goal and dreams, but that doesn't mean we will stop responding in April. The weeks are almost just about recovering, not training, and for those who need time, it's hard to get it. For example, Zeno had a long stoppage and can play for 30 minutes because if I start him, he won't be able to respond. Physical capacity won't keep up. It has more to do with paying the 'price' of what the whole season has been, not just April. They will be intense games with a high degree of difficulty, but the players really want to play those games. We have to find strategies together to arrive in the best shape and continue to give a good response."

Postponement of the game with Tondela and criticisms from Benfica and Porto

"No regrets. It was a regulatory right we had, and we exercised it. It's a good thing we did, because if we had the game, we wouldn't have been able to give the physical and mental response we gave against Bodø/Glimt. We gave a fantastic response for 120 minutes. We will have to fit the game somewhere. We say that other championships are good, and the same thing happens there. Rivals? It's noise, it's part of it, but it was a right we had."

'Coming back to Earth' after the historic passage in the UEFA Champions League

"It's important to find ways to connect the players and boost their energy. It won't be the same, no matter how much we want it, but it's impossible. The rest time is not the same, the recovery isn't either, but we have to boost the energy to a good level of demand. We will face a team that hasn't lost at home in 2026, has grown a lot, and defends well. It will demand a lot from us. The game may enter transitions, and we have to understand what response we can give."

On the potential contract renewal with Sporting

"I am very calm about that. I know well how the interaction and mutual trust with Sporting's structure are. I have a contract with Sporting, and whatever has to happen will happen in due time."

Options for the central position

"Perhaps it's the most difficult position to manage. I have four fabulous central defenders, all deserve to play, and that gives headaches. Edu has responded well, and perhaps, the one with the most minutes is with me. Diomande had this break with Ramadan, it's natural, Zeno is coming back very well, and Inácio has had a fantastic season. I have four high-quality central defenders, and any of them can be a starter."

Fatigue of Luis Suárez without being able to count on the competition from Fotis Ioannidis

"I don't believe Ioannidis will be available in the coming weeks. Regarding Luis, it's very particular. We also appeal to the good sense of the selectors, to understand the players' fatigue and what they still have ahead. I hope that happens because he has been a very sacrificed player to give everything to the team, and it shows. Physically, he has been tremendous, but he is not a machine and will have breakdowns, as he already has."

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