Pote hit by bad news at Sporting, injury could sideline him until... | OneFootball

Pote may only return to Sporting’s options at the start of 2026. The ‘number 8’ risks another long spell on the sidelines due to a serious muscle problem, as his right thigh appears to have torn again, which initially ruled him out of the squad against Bayern Munich.

The news is being reported by the newspaper Record, which recalls that the Portuguese international had felt muscle discomfort during training after the derby with Benfica, and didn’t even travel to Germany in order to undergo a new round of tests. The first results point to a relapse.

If this is confirmed, the same source reveals that Sporting is counting on Pedro Gonçalves returning only in the next calendar year, assuming that the player will miss at least the home game against AVS, the away matches against Santa Clara and Guimarães, and another home game against Rio Ave.

At this point, both Pote and Sporting are still waiting for a more definitive diagnosis, but the signs are not encouraging. Rui Borges’ undisputed starter had already been sidelined by the same muscle problem after the match against Santa Clara on November 8, and now it could happen again.

This season, wearing the Sporting shirt, Pedro Gonçalves—valued at 30 million euros—has already played 19 matches: 13 in Liga Portugal, four in the Champions League, one in the Portuguese Cup, and another in the Super Cup. During the 1,484 minutes he was on the pitch, the ‘number 8’ for the Lions has already scored 10 goals and provided six assists.

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