The coach analyses the win over CD Nacional

Following the hard-fought victory at home against CD Nacional, Rui Borges looked back on the game in his post-match press conference.

Analysis of the game
"It was a difficult game against a good, well-organised team. CD Nacional employed a good strategy, and we had some difficulties understanding and exploiting the spaces, just like we had in Madeira. They tried to contain us in the first half, and we had to look for options on the flanks and in one-on-one situations. We also lacked inspiration in that aspect, and the players we had on the pitch didn't give us that either.

Despite that, it was a game where they could have made it 1-0 when Edu [Quaresma] slipped, but that was all in the first half, and in the second half they only scored their goal and had one other shot. We created chances, but we didn't have our usual offensive flow, and as the game went on, that ended up creating some anxiety.

Games after we've played in the UEFA Champions League are always difficult, but the ambition, attitude, and belief of the team are there. It's belief until the end, and the fans were very important in that. It was a difficult victory to take, to CD Nacional's credit, but we achieved what we wanted, which was to win."

Nuno Santos' return
"I'm very happy to see him back, we all are. He's an important player in the group, he's one of the captains, everyone recognises his competitiveness and quality. Few could come back the way he did -very few. His resilience is infinite, something which is difficult to explain. He's back on the pitch again, and it will take some time for us to have Nuno back at his best, but I'm happy to see him doing what he loves most."

Morten Hjulmand's absence
"It was our decision, due to a personal problem, to leave him out. He will certainly train tomorrow, he will certainly be a starter on Thursday, so it's not an issue."

Luis Suárez
"We were able to discover him, despite him already being a mature player -which was what we wanted. Because of all his characteristics, we knew he would be an impactful player because of how we play. He is valued, those around him are motivated, confident, and always work the same way. His finishing ability is incredible. He missed an easy goal, then scored two great ones. The skill on the disallowed goal was fantastic. He came to a great team, a title-winning team that help him grow, and he is always looking to do better. He is happy to be at a great club."

Late victories maybe being due to fatigue
"In previous seasons, there were also games where goals were scored in the 90th minute. The game ends when the referee blows the whistle. It's to the team's credit, as their ability has been stupendous, as opposing teams are increasingly defending and organising themselves better. We have to fight against that, despite some constraints: there are always 11 players. With all the constraints – Francisco Trincão and Pote had limited playing time, for example – sometimes it's belief that wins games.

In strategic terms, not having some players makes things very difficult. That's why I give the example of Gonçalo Inácio and Zeno Debast, for instance. Edu [Quaresma] had a great game, even with him having to wear the mask, and Ousmane [Diomande] also had a competent game, but against teams that play with lower blocks, we needed players with the ability to open space and make longer and more assertive passes. We didn't have them."

The fullbacks coming inside
"It's the variability of our gameplan. Sometimes they come inside, sometimes they go out to the wings. It goes back to what I said: within our individual characteristics, we try to adjust and find the best options we have. Geny [Catamo], Maxi [Araújo], Luís Guilherme are strong in one-on-one situations, Maxi and Iván [Fresneda] are very good at getting into space, Iván has a very good eye for attacking the area. We always try to be dynamic, to give variability to the positioning with different players, and to always expose the opposition to different things."

Alisson Santos' possible farewell
"I went to congratulate him on the growth he has shown, on the better decisions he has made to be a 'Sporting CP player'. He is growing, he is a Sporting CP player, he provided another assist today and I went to congratulate him for that."