Rui Borges on the player who leads Sporting without needing the armband | OneFootball

Rui Borges previewed the Sporting - AFS SAD match, a Portuguese Cup quarter-final scheduled for Thursday at 8:45 pm. The coach of the Alvalade club was asked whether he sees Francisco Trincão as a possible future captain of the team, but the coach explained that he doesn’t need the armband to be a leader. The coach also spoke about the possible return of a heavyweight to the squad list.

"Difficulties have brought solutions, they make the team stronger and the players grow more individually. I said he was one of the players who surprised me the most, I look at him and I think he’s extraordinary. I’d be very happy if the renewal happens, for him, for us, and for Sporting. He doesn’t need to wear the armband to be a leader. He has always stepped up, he’s one of the few who hasn’t had long injuries. He’s always put himself forward for the team, even in tough times, he doesn’t hide. That also defines what it is to be a leader."

Regarding changes to the starting eleven, Rui Borges admits he may make some adjustments: "There may be one or two changes. It’s possible, it’s part of it. You know everyone is capable of stepping up. Everyone is connected. I’m calm. Any changes won’t be with Porto in mind, but because some players are more overloaded and we have to be careful."

In the match against Alverca, in the Allianz Cup, the Lions fielded an alternative eleven and won 5-1: "Different moments, it was two days after one of our games. There may be some changes due to the busy schedule, but nothing specific in that regard. In that match, I had to do it. All of them have already stepped up, here the only thing above all is Sporting, nothing else. We’ve won with everyone and without everyone, so to speak. No one is above the team here. And they understand that. I’m super confident in my squad."

The Lions’ skipper addressed the squad’s depth: "What we’ve done so far answers all of that. Just look at our performances and you’ll see the team has responded. If they don’t, it’s because the opponent was better. The commitment, the desire, and the response will always be there. We went straight through to the round of 16. They want to play, the team responds for me. We’re having a great season."

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