The coach prepares his side for a meeting with Portimonense SC

Rúben Amorim talked on Friday morning, before the Saturday 6pm kickoff against Portimonense SC in Liga Portugal.

“This run of three victories is nothing special for a big club, but for us it becomes more important due to the moment we are in. Now we want to start another sequence," said the coach.

"The preparation for this game was carried out with the utmost care, with a lot of observation and tactical work for Portimonense SC, who we know can play in many ways and have a lot of variety in terms of their players. We prepared the game very well and worked on dead balls very well, to be competent in that facet of the game. It was normal preparation for an important game in our season and we want to maintain this winning streak."

"We are under pressure to win from the beginning, because we always have to win -even when we are top of the table. Now we are below that and it gives us extra pressure to win and perhaps even anxiety to win quickly."

On the previous matchday, Sporting CP lessened the gap to the two places above them, and Amorim acknowledged that they need other teams to slip up.

“It's important because, even if we do our job, if others don't lose points, we don't get to those places. This is yet another moment in which we have to win, as we had in other games with Boavista FC and FC Arouca, in which we had to win and in which we didn't. You have to be aware of that, face it and tomorrow we have to win."

Questioned about whether he will pick his squad thinking about the Europa League in midweek, he commented that "We don't reserve players, we rotate because we have quality players, the characteristics of the game are different and we have to keep that in mind in order to win the games."

In the week in which Sporting CP presented their financial results for 2022, the coach was also asked about them, and spoke openly about the subject: “We have not achieved a season at the level of what we intended in the sporting aspect. Sportinguistas have to look at the glass as being half-full: The club is more stable, have better financial conditions and are more prepared to face the challenges of the future, talents are emerging and the coach has to do his job. We have to look forward."

"We lost four starters this year. Sarabia wasn't sold, but we lost others because the offers were great and they wanted to leave. That's life. Obviously we are already preparing for the next season because that is what we have to do, we don't have the resources of other teams and we have to anticipate things. We have to look to the future, plan and improve. We are preparing for next year knowing that we have to have a plan A and a plan B according to whether we get into the Champions League."
The coach was watching Sporting CP's UEFA Youth League win against AFC Ajax alongside Portuguese national team coach Roberto Martínez, with whom he spoke.

“We exchanged some ideas about the Sporting CP players and I think the coach will do the same with other coaches. I gave my opinion and, of course, I always push for my players to be included. There are people we talk to for two minutes and we like them -and I liked him. I wish him the best of luck. He will make mistakes, he will do good things and we are all supporting him to have a strong team.”