The coach previews the Supertaça against SL Benfica

Sporting Clube de Portugal officially start their 2025/26 season this Thursday, at 8:45 pm, with the Supertaça against SL Benfica at the Estádio Algarve.

Ahead of the curtain-raiser, Rui Borges gave a press conference previewing the encounter.

The Supertaça
"It's good to start the season fighting for a trophy. It's a sign that we've won trophies that we really wanted -in this case two. There can be no greater motivation than starting the campaign with a trophy, even though we know that the start of the season is always a different time to the rest of the campaign. We're looking for our best form; we've had players who have arrived back later, as well as changes to the squad. It's a race to find our best form. We're still searching for that, but I'm absolutely certain that we'll be competitive and competent against great opponents -our biggest rivals throughout last season. We expect a great game, with a large crowd, and that it will be, above all, a good spectacle."

The favourites for the game
"We are not favourites. These are 50-50 games. Regardless of who are league champions, we are two great teams with great players."

The importance of preseason
"It's always important at any club. For me, it's a new experience at Sporting CP, and we have to adapt because I'm at a big club that is different to others. Preseason is also different here. We wanted to have all the players in the squad from Day 1, but at big clubs like Sporting CP, it's not quite like that. The internationals arrived back later, and players come and go because they're attractive to other clubs. It affects our day-to-day operation, but I'm the happiest coach in the world because I'm at a big club. Preseason is important for us to develop, especially because throughout the season we will compete in many competitions, and it's almost all a case of playing and recovering at that point."

Sporting CP signing Luis Suárez
"It's not just about the coach's ideas, but about adapting to the individuals and the team we have. Suárez arrived a few days ago and doesn't yet have the collective dynamics in place. He's a mature player and I believe he'll easily acquire them, but there are very specific connections that are created. We've lost a standout player, we're not shying away from that, but we'll gain another, whether it's Suárez or [Conrad] Harder. They'll give different things than Viktor [Gyökeres] did. Players like Pote, [Francisco] Trincão, [Geovany] Quenda, and Geny [Catamo] had connections with Viktor and now they have to develop them with the new arrivals, which will take some time. It's part of the process. Tactically, nothing changes.

Maxi Araújo
"He is a doubt for the game."

Competition between Conrad Harder and Luis Suárez
"These are two players who will compete for the centre forward spot and for opportunities, but that doesn't mean they can't both play. It will depend on what they can demonstrate day to day and whether they seize the opportunities they get. Although he didn't start many games because he had a European and global standout in a very good form ahead of him, Harder, when called upon, delivered last season and did what was asked of him. He's not Viktor; he'll bring different things and, like Suárez, he has to adapt to the team."

SL Benfica's statement and the Taça de Portugal final
"I won't even talk about that. We are starting the season with a great game. Let's make it a great spectacle and let's not focus on something that doesn't make sense. We are two great teams and great fanbases. Let's have respect for each other, with passion and knowing how to behave. As for the Taça de Portugal? For us, it ended well. We won a cup and the fans were happy. The past is the past and I no longer think about what I have won."

The squad
"It's well balanced for now. Of course, we always want to add something or other. There's been talk of bringing in a right-back, a left-back, a striker..."

Starting preseason earlier than SL Benfica
"Anyone who wants to look at it as an advantage is entitled to do so. Our opponents finished the season later and had less holiday time, but they also lost less fitness. They were more prepared when they returned, while we had a longer break during which we lost fitness. Bringing back internationals later and having reinforcements arrive only a few days ago can be detrimental, but it's our job, and we have to adapt in order to be as competitive as possible. I don't think it will affect either team, because both teams will have enormous ambition."

Preparing for the game
"We have only had access to one game that the opposition played, but they have a large base from last season. We know the work done by coach Bruno Lage throughout the season and the main ideas will not differ much. They have different players with different dynamics, but that's no excuse. The motivation to compete for the trophy and win it has to be more important than that. We have to be able to adapt to what the opponents present."

The left-back position
"We have Quenda, [Ricardo Esgaio], [Iván] Fresneda], Geny... There are many solutions. Someone will play there, for sure."

Morten Hjulmand
"He's a player who belongs to the club. He has a buyout clause. Anyone who wants to come in for him will have to speak to the president. I watch him every day and he's motivated and focused. He's a captain, a leader, and he's been setting an example every day in training. He came back different... he'd got married [laughs]. Otherwise, he's the same. I feel he's calm and motivated."

The departure of Viktor Gyökeres
"These are things I can't control. I was more focused and concerned with the group, with starting training and being prepared for the demands of the season. We knew he would eventually leave because there was no shortage of clubs for him to go to. He defined an era here, and we're very grateful for everything he did. He helped me immensely, and I wish him the best of luck in the future. We are still here though: Strong, Sporting CP and champions."

Diogo Travassos
"His contract renewal must mean a lot to him. It's a sign that he's doing very well. He signed until 2030, which clearly reflects what we all expect from him. He's 21 years old and grew a lot last year at CF Estrela da Amadora in Liga Portugal. He was coming off an injury, went through that whole process, and managed to bounce back and believe in his dream of playing for Sporting CP. The outlook for his future is very good, which is why he's here at the start of the season. Later on, we'll all decide what the best option for him is."

Reinforcements
"We're trying to find the best options and solutions within our vision. We're working together, because at Sporting CP, everyone counts in every sector."