The coach previews a big weekend in Liga Portugal

Sporting CP visit SC Braga this Saturday in Liga Portugal action. On the eve of the game against the current fourth-placed team, coach Rui Borges spoke about the challenge.
 
An important weekend
"Our ambition is to be first in the table and for that we have to do better than in the first meeting against SC Brage. As for the game between SL Benfica and FC Porto: We have to do our part and then understand the consequences.”
 
Analysis of the opponent
“SC Braga don't change their game plan, regardless of the players on the pitch. They want to have the ball; they are the team with the most possession in the league, along with Sporting CP, and that clearly shows in their play. They are also very strong in reacting to losing possession in the final third. Above any individual player, the idea is always there; the characteristics change depending on who plays. They are an attacking team that will create many difficulties for us, as they did at Alvalade when we drew 1-1. In the last ten games, they scored as many goals as Sporting CP.”
 
The renewal of Francisco Trincão and the expiring contract of Hidemasa Morita
“I focus a lot on the present. I am happy about Francisco, a player who has been growing, becoming more and more mature, and has enormous importance to the achievements and dynamics of Sporting CP. Since I arrived, he's been one of the players who has impressed me the most, if not the most, because he gives everything for the team, besides his quality and intelligence. He's always 'switched on', plays in several positions, makes Sporting CP much stronger, and for that reason, I'm happy for him and for Sporting CP.
 
Regarding Morita, it has a lot to do with the structure and the player's will. He's a player we like very much, he's in good form, and at present he's an important player for Sporting CP.”
 
Changes in attack to counter SC Braga's characteristics
“Just like SC Braga, we also don't change our game plan. We might change some players; that's natural, to have different things in terms of attack or defence. Compared to the game against FC Porto match, there are different teams and game plans to face. Strategically, we can look at it differently, but never straying from our game plan. We look at the whole picture. We will face a good, well-organised team, but we also believe that we will create difficulties for SC Braga."
 
SC Braga being fresher because they didn't play in midweek
"I don't know, it's subjective. They had more days of rest, they may have more energy, but that won't be an excuse for the intensity of the game. SC Braga had more days to prepare for the game, they have fresher players, but our ambition and will to win are so great that this will never be an excuse."
 
The matchday
"If Sporting CP win, we will have done our part, which is what's important. We want to have a better second half of the season than the first, which was good but not quite enough. To have an extraordinary second half of the season, we have to win tomorrow. We have to do our part and then understand the consequences. If we don't do our part, the other result doesn't matter.”
 
Zeno Debast returning
“He could be included in the squad. He could have already been included for the game against FC Porto, but he chose not to be because he wasn't in his best condition.”
 
Fotis Ioannidis' situation
“For now, he is out of tomorrow's game.”
 
Luis Suárez’ workload
“Without Fotis, it ends up with us sacrificing Luis a little more, but fortunately we have managed to balance that effort. He's not a player prone to injuries, he's been doing very well and he's a 'tough guy'. In that sense, we are very calm. We would very much like to have Fotis because he would be extremely important at this stage, even to balance out that wear and tear, but it is what it is. I'm not going to complain."
 
Prioritising competitions
"I don't see it that way. I think the team are doing well. Now we'll have three or four more games in a row, but playing on Wednesday I think we can have the team capable of responding. Everyone is prepared to play and that has a lot to do with the team's form and the season, in addition to the strategic aspect of each game. We really want to win tomorrow's game and we really want to win at home against FK Bodø/Glimt, because we want to continue making club history in the UEFA Champions League."
 
Lessons learned from the clash with SC Braga in the first half of the season
"In the second half, SC Braga had better possession, they didn't create much danger, but they ended up equalising with a solo move in the area, a pull back and a penalty. Above all, we are two teams that like to have the ball and it will be a good challenge for both of us. We need to understand what the opposition are good at and be very balanced, both when pressing and when we can't do that. The opposition also deserve credit, but mentally we have to be able to understand all the moments of the game. At Alvalade, we lost our composure without the ball, because SC Braga bring out many midfielders -like Pau Victor, who plays as a number ten and takes away reference points from the defensive line.”