The coach previews the game against Rio Ave FC

Sporting Clube de Portugal travels to Vila do Conde this Monday to, where they will face Rio Ave FC on the penultimate matchday in Liga Portugal.

Coach Rui Borges spoke to journalists in his press conference before the game.

Analysis of Rio Ave FC
“Above all, we have to be a Sporting CP side that demand a lot from ourselves. We need to understand that we are still fighting for second place, we have three games left to finish the season and a Taça de Portugal final to play. It is very important to create this individual demand to overcome a Rio Ave FC who, despite not having achieved the best results in recent games, have had a very good second half of the season.

They are a team with their place in the league guaranteed for next season, who have nothing to lose, and who added good players in the January transfer window -players who have given them growth both defensively and offensively. They are a very strong team on the counter-attack, very physical and competitive.

We will certainly have difficulties. Personally, I have really enjoyed watching Rio Ave FC in many games, because they have clearly improved compared to the first half of the season. A difficult game awaits us, but I repeat: We have to create individual and collective demands of ourselves at the end of this season, especially since we still have objectives to achieve.”

The transfer market
“In recent days, there’s been more talk about the transfer market than anything else. I’m not going to talk about players from other clubs. I have three games ahead of me and I’m competing for clear objectives. It seems like we’re in June or July; it doesn’t make sense to give my opinion on any players now, because I’m very focused on our objective.

It’s natural that people ask, but these are players who are at other clubs and we don’t know what the future holds regarding departures, let alone arrivals. Personally, I’m very focused on the last three games, which still have a lot at stake, and we can’t let our guard down. We’ve already let our guard down enough. I’m focused on what we have to achieve.”

Leadership challenges in a dressing room
“At big clubs, the difficulty is very much linked to the daily management of so many human beings. It’s not just players, but staff and everything involved in a football club. Knowing how to manage the egos of players with careers that speak for themselves is sometimes quite difficult. (…)

That's why I say so often that the greatest boost a coach can have is to look at the group and feel that everyone respects each other and sees quality in each other. Each player, in their own way, adds something, and everyone believes in everyone else's potential. Nobody stands out above the rest or tries to do so. As Sporting CP, I am fortunate to have a group that respects each other a lot. This is very important and also part of the coaching staff's job.

In technical terms, there are many good coaches, but gaining the respect of the players, getting them to believe and getting them onside is the great difficulty for a coach today. Sometimes, and it's part of the process, it's not possible to do it.”

Analysis of Diogo Travassos' season
“He's had a great season and everything indicates that he will have to come back to Sporting CP at the beginning of next season. He’s had a season with goals and assists, many games on the wing -a position that isn't his natural one. He’s enjoyed two very good seasons in the Primeira Liga, which is important for gaining consistency. He has that ability to earn the right to be with us.”

Daniel Bragança's contract renewal
“Dani is a captain, a leader, important to the group, and has a contract with Sporting CP. His renewal doesn't depend solely on the coach. There's the board and the player too, many factors have to combine.

For now, he's a player that we all like and that we want to have in the squad. We're planning to have him for next season, it’s as simple as that. Regarding any renewal: In due time, we'll see if it happens or not.”

Managing transfer rumours with objectives until the end of the season
“We’re demanding accountability, focus, rigour, professionalism. In these last 15 days, the biggest difficulty is keeping a team that were fighting for everything and know that they can no longer be champions motivated. In a phase of great mental exhaustion -even more than physical-, keeping them at the same pace and with the same rigour is a big challenge.

It’s natural that motivation has dropped a little after those less positive results. I am also worn out from so many press conferences and so much travel. As much as we like our jobs, it’s been many months at a maximum level of demand and it's natural that, not being able to change our main objective, they feel the fatigue.

Second place is extremely important to us and they know that. It’s difficult for them to feel at 100% in terms of energy. I don't know if it's possible, but it has to be close, at least, for us to still achieve our goals.”

Attention to fitness in future signings
“We always pay attention to the physical aspect in relation to any signing. They are all studied in depth and perhaps that is even the first parameter. But there are things we don't control, it's impossible. I believe that in the future, clubs may have 50 players, given the number of games.

Given the trauma injuries we’ve had, we were left cast adrift at decisive moments, but Sporting CP do not have the financial capacity to have 50 players of the same level. What we can control is that all the physical data of any player who enters the club is thoroughly examined right from the start.”

His future squad
“It's natural that qualifying for the UEFA Champions League could change something, because the financial aspect plays a part and you can't escape that. But whether we make a revolution or not, it’s something that the market will dictate. We have all the current players, except for [Hidemasa] Morita, under contract. There are players who may want to take a different direction in their careers, but they won't leave just like that. Everyone has a buyout clause, so the market will dictate what happens.

We have a squad defined in my image, which will adjust as players leave, be it in one position or another. We are always attentive and cautious, thanks to the work done by the scouting department.”

for my club" The attacker reflects on his appearance achievement

Francisco Trincão has reached 200 games for Sporting Clube de Portugal. To mark the milestone, the number 17 spoke to the club's media and expressed his pride in continuing his legacy at Alvalade.

His feelings about reaching 200 games
"It's a great privilege to be able to play 200 games for my club. Above all, I'm happy to help in any way I can."

Being part of Sporting CP's history
"Since I was little, I've always dreamed of being part of this club and, besides that, winning is always good, so I'm very happy."

The trophies he has won at the club
"It makes me want to win more and do better, because the feeling is always great. Now, it's about continuing the project and winning more trophies."

Wearing the captain's armband
"It’s excellent. It's also a sign that the team believe in me, so it's a good feeling."

The responsibility when representing Sporting CP
"It's enormous. Not only within the group, inside the training ground and at Alvalade, but also because of the fans. We know what we represent to many people, so we always have to give our best and perform at the maximum."

An important person throughout these 200 games
"I have to say everyone who helps me every day, everyone who has been at the training ground or at the stadium, and who is part of the group and the staff. I can't single out one specific person."

September 7th, 2022
"That was the date of my first goal. I remember it was in the UEFA Champions League, 0-3 against Eintracht Frankfurt and it was a good goal."

A goal that sticks in his memory
"I would say, perhaps, the one in the final of the Taça da Liga [2024/25]."

His Top 3 best moments at Sporting CP
"The two league titles and the Taça da Liga.”

His most special game to date
"There are many, but perhaps the game against Vitória SC where we became two-time champions. I think that's the one that made the biggest impact on me."

Playing in the UEFA Champions League
"It's great. It's the biggest club competition and, therefore, it's a huge honour to be able to play in it. It's a great feeling."

The team’s unity
"It's always been like this and everyone knows that the dressing room has always been one of the main sources of the club’s success."

The importance of Sporting CP in his life
"It’s enormous. Coming here has helped me completely and, therefore, it means everything."

His connection to the club
"I’ve had it since I was little. My childhood friends know this, because I always talked about Sporting CP. Now I'm here and it's a huge source of pride."

Evolution and versatility in the attack
"It also depends a lot on my teammates and the team, and I think we all understand each other well. Whether I play in one position or another also has a lot to do with what the coach says and the understanding between the players. When you have good players alongside you, it's always easier."

His consistency after 88 league appearances
"It has to do with the day-to-day work I do, the way I live my life and how I try to take care of myself, in addition to all the help we have from the club. It has to do with what you daily, in training, with your rest and in nutrition. It all comes from these factors together. I am lucky to have good genetics, and for that I have to thank my parents."

Finishing the season as top assist provider
"That’s not the objective for me; the aim is to help the team. If you do that with goals and assists it's always better, but you can also do it in other aspects, because the game isn't just about that."

The Estádio José Alvalade
"It’s always a fortress, but it’s not only like that at home. I feel like we are always playing at home, even on away trips, but of course the support we always have at the stadium makes all the difference."

What sets Sporting CP apart
"It's the mystique. It's a different club because of its history and everything it has been through and all that we continue to win -not only in football but in all sports. I think the club have a different mystique and that's what makes it unique."

Fan support
"Everyone has always treated me well, it's a source of pride, and it's always great that people recognise the work I've been doing. I can only be grateful."

The fans' passion
"The second title celebration at Marquês was even better than the first, so I think people continue to embrace what this team have been doing. It's been getting better and better."

Message to Sporting CP fans
"I just want them to keep supporting us, so we can feel what we've felt until now. They should expect the best from us, because we will always give everything for the club."

Goals still to be achieved at Sporting CP
"Another 200 games."

The coach reviews the 5-1 win over Vitória SC

At the end of the match against Vitória SC, Rui Borges, analysed the resounding victory in his press conference.

General analysis of the team's performance
“We started out a bit nervous, but from our first few scoring opportunities we scored two goals. After that, we grew, gained confidence, created clear chances and scored goals. It ended up being a fair result, considering the opportunities we had. The team demonstrated our quality and returned to our normal competitive spirit and mentality. We had a great game.”

Eduardo Quaresma's 100th game for the club
“It signifies his growth at this club and increased consistency. He has played a lot of games with quantity and, above all, with quality. He has grown in this aspect, I am happy to see him reach this milestone, and he will help Sporting CP a lot in the future.”

Daniel Bragança
“He has a contract with Sporting CP and is happy here, as demonstrated on the pitch. He knows very well the complete confidence he has from the coach and also from the structure.”

The fight for second place
“I’m focused on winning our games, doing our part to be able to finish in second place. That is my focus, and then we have the cup final, in which we really want to win that trophy. Whether it's first, second or third place, all places are earned with merit.”

From initial unease to gained confidence
“I think in the first ten minutes you could see that the team were a little tense. Then we gained confidence and, from the time it was 2-0 onwards, we grew. The team became more comfortable and this was also noticeable individually. Maxi, for example, didn't start very well, but he improved and ended up playing a great game. We created several opportunities with quality and with the confidence we gained. We were coming into this one from two games that weren't good on our part and that ended up affecting us, which is natural. We improved and had a good game.”

Substitutions of Morita and Geny Catamo
“They were both feeling a little uncomfortable and, therefore, we took them off.”

The impact of Gonçalo Inácio's return
“As I said about Dani, Inácio wanted to be with the team, and that shows what a leader he is. He knew it wasn't the team's best time of the season, and him wanting to rush back speaks well of my captains. He had a great game; he came off because he was feeling discomfort, but his resilience is commendable.”

The possible return of Fotis Ioannidis soon
“I hope we see him before the end of the season, even if it's in the last game or the cup final. It’s difficult though, a bit like with Morten [Hjulmand].”

His recurring use of a midfield duo in Hjulmand's absence
“Morita had a great season, and Daniel Bragança has too since he came back. They give us a lot of quality with the ball and are the players who are in the best form. They never shy away from the ball or the game, even under pressure, and they pass that confidence on to the team.”

Importance of having weeks to train again
“It’s very, very important. We’re entering these last three weeks of the season, which will be normal weeks with one game every 6-7 days, and I hope the team show a different energy -the energy we’ve shown throughout the season. Time off is important, being able to breathe, be with family… We’re at the end of the season, everything is tiring and, therefore, the next few weeks help.”

Words from Hjulmand in a video posted by Sporting CP
“That was very important. He’s our captain, he also feels bad about not being able to be with the group and thought he could help this way -not only for the group but also for the fans. These 15 days don’t erase the fantastic months they’ve had so far.”

Os Leões win 5-1 against Vitória SC

Sporting CP beat Vitória SC 5-1 at the Estádio José Alvalade on Liga Portugal Matchday 22, with goals from Gonçalo Inácio, Daniel Bragança, Maxi Araújo, Luis Suárez and Luís Guilherme. The win allowed them to take advantage of their direct rival SL Benfica's draw in Vila Nova de Famalicão to close the points gap in the standings.

To face the seventh-placed team in the division, on a run of two consecutive victories and a total of four games unbeaten, coach Rui Borges made two changes to the starting XI fielded against CD Tondela: Inácio – after two games out due to injury – returned, Francisco Trincão also came back into the starting lineup, and Georgios Vagiannidis and Geovany Quenda were moved onto the bench.

Once the match began, Vitória SC took control and even had the first shot on target, but Sporting CP’s training ground work paid off to make it 1-0 after just nine minutes: Pedro Gonçalves took a free kick from the edge of the box, chipped the ball towards the far post for Luis Suárez, and he tapped it into the area for the unmarked Gonçalo Inácio to head in.

In the 24th minute, the second goal came with maximum efficiency. Trincão, Suárez, and Hidemasa Morita combined with a series of first-touch passes on the volley, and the Japanese player masterfully set up Daniel Bragança. His finish was also excellent, as he lifted the ball over the goalkeeper in a well-executed one-on-one.

Less than ten minutes later, the scoreline could have been increased, as Bragança had a great chance, but he slammed the ball into the goal after skillfully taking two opposition defenders out of the equation. Trincão then tried to chip Charles again and saw the ball go just wide of the post.

At the other end, Rui Silva had to make two saves from venomous shots by Miguel Nogueira from the right flank.

Os Leões responded immediately with a quick transition, although Suárez couldn't finish off the high-speed counter-attack led by Geny Catamo.

The space left at the back by Vitória SC remained vulnerable and Sporting CP took advantage to make it 3-0 in stoppage time. Zeno Debast found Maxi Araújo unmarked in the central channel and the Uruguayan managed to beat the last defender before finishing well. The goal was initially disallowed for offside, but with the help of VAR the decision was reversed.

The restart after the interval saw Luís Guilherme replace Morita. Vitória SC had the first clear goalscoring opportunity, wasted by Diogo Sousa when he was one-on-one with Rui Silva.

Moments later, it was the league's top scorer, Luis Suárez, who kept things on track. Picked out by 'Pote', he finished calmly to increase the advantage to 4-0 with his 26th goal in the competition.

The second half saw better control from Sporting CP, with sporadic chances in addition. In the 74th minute, Suárez switched from finisher to assist provider, serving up the fifth goal for the returning Luís Guilherme.

Nuno Santos, Geovany Quenda and Giorgi Kochorashvili, plus Ousmane Diomande, were brought on by Rui Borges for a phase of the match that ended up being largely uneventful.

Suárez was very close to scoring with a header only being denied by Charles’ full stretch save. However, it was Vitória SC who were fortunate to score a consolation goal in the 85th minute -a bizarre own goal by Zeno Debast when trying to pass the ball back to Rui Silva.

Sporting CP continue their pursuit of second place in Liga Portugal and access to the UEFA Champions League qualifying playoff. In the next round, the penultimate matchday of the season, they travel to Vila do Conde to face Rio Ave FC.

Sporting CP: Rui Silva [GK], Eduardo Quaresma, Zeno Debast, Gonçalo Inácio [C] (Ousmane Diomande, 82’), Maxi Araújo, Hidemasa Morita (Luís Guilherme, 46’), Daniel Bragança, Pedro Gonçalves (Giorgi Kochorashvili, 78’), Geny Catamo (Nuno Santos, 70’), Francisco Trincão (Geovany Quenda, 78’), Luis Suárez.

The coach looks at the game against Vitória SC

Sporting CP coach Rui Borges chatted to the media in a pre-match press conference, ahead of the game against Vitória SC this Monday at 8:15pm.

The match against Vitória SC
"First of all, congratulations to FC Porto for winning the Liga Portugal title. It’s well deserved, because they ended up being the most consistent team throughout the season. Regarding Vitória SC and the game, Gil [Lameiras] is a young coach who is in a very good upward phase and above all, is progressing in a very sustained way. He is taking the steps he wants, with all his quality. I admire him very much.

We expect a difficult game, against a team who are motivated. They won their last game away in Barcelos, against a good side that are having an excellent season. All these motivational factors lead to Vitória SC, I believe, being audacious in their attack, within their usual style of play. They are a team that, offensively, rely heavily on wingers -they are the team that crosses the most in the league. They have a lot of one-on-one situations, very strong wingers in that regard. They set themselves up, depending on the area of the pitch, in a low block, which ends up organising itself in a 5-4-1 formation in a more medium-high block. That moves into a 4-4-2 defensively. Vitória SC are a great team, always demanding the maximum from you in any game, so we expect a difficult match, but at home, we really want to get back to winning ways."

Physical and psychological fatigue
"I'm not justifying the results, but it exists. Now, it's not a justification. We always have to want to do better, we always have to find ways to be better and to be competitive, and never make excuses for anything. We should have been more competent. Mental fatigue exists, but it's not an excuse. I'm not lucky or unlucky, and we could have been more competent in the latter stages, especially [against CD Tondela]. There is mental fatigue because of everything that has happened in the season, because of all the games, because of all the demands, because of everything that has happened to us, it's part of football. We have to deal with it. It's up to us coaches and players to react to it.."

Confidence in the fight for second place
"I'm confident by nature, it has nothing to do with the SL Benfica game [on Saturday], or not. Regardless of the SL Benfica result, we still don't have our fate in our hands, so I'm much more focused on us becoming a more competitive Sporting CP again, with more quality of play, and winning, which is what we really want. Winning our games, doing everything to win them, understanding how we can improve in these last games, in these last rounds, trying to keep them focused, because there's a trophy to play for [the Taça de Portugal]. We’re focused and above all motivated for this final stretch of the season.

There's a mental weight on everyone’s shoulders, and suddenly we've fallen short of those objectives we had. It's natural that it has affected us in some way. We have to bounce back, so I say that the last few weeks don't reflect what the whole season has been like for this group -the excellent season they're having. It doesn't erase anything that we did. I'm incredibly proud of what they've achieved; now we have to stabilise things. Regardless of the other teams, we have to focus on our game at home."

Goals conceded in the last 15 minutes of games
"It's something we have to try to understand how we can improve. It has a lot to do with the games, a lot to do with the moments, a lot to do with the current results. It's difficult to explain sometimes, even when we're looking at the whole picture. If we're winning 3-0, it's natural that we concede. If the team are more switched off because we're winning 3-0, then there are things we can't control. There are goals conceded due to our own actions, even individual ones, that we don't control. They are momentary, they are instincts where we were punished: In the two games against SC Braga, for example. It’s natural that at some point we might concede a goal, but more than that, we should realise that we have the second-best defence in the league, with the same number of goals conceded as SL Benfica.”

This season's squad composition for so many competitions
"It depends on how we look at things and the interpretation we make. It's not about minimising things. It has a lot to do with the financial capacity of Portuguese teams to have squads at the level of the best clubs in Europe and the world, who fight for these competitions. Arsenal have five times our budget. We will never be able to match even a quarter or a third of that financial capacity, so our squad – or that of any Portuguese team, however big they may be – will never have the capacity to match the best teams in the world. Now, in our own way, we were very competent, we did a lot, we made all Sporting CP fans and the club we represent proud.”

Players with injuries
"Geny is fine, Gonçalo Inácio is doing much better, and he could still play this season. [Morten] Hjulmand’s situation is difficult."

The coach's extension is officially announced in the VIP Hall at the Estádio José Alvalade

Sporting Clube de Portugal and Rui Borges have reached an agreement for the extension of the coach’s contract, keeping him in charge of the first team until 2028. The 44-year-old's renewal was officially announced this Friday in the VIP Hall at the Estádio José Alvalade, in a ceremony attended by his family, the coaching staff, and the rest of the Sporting CP structure.

Borges took over as Sporting CP's head coach midway through the 2024/25 season – signing on December 26, 2024 – and managed to lead the team to a memorable 'double' of the Liga Portugal title and Taça de Portugal. In the present season, he took them to their best-ever UEFA Champions League campaign – ending in the quarter-finals – and to the final of the Taça de Portugal.

“Rui Borges and his coaching staff have been at Sporting CP for around 16 months. Some put high value on the results of the last 15 days, while others highly value the work of the first 15 and a half months, the back-to-back titles, the double, the best European campaign in our history, or the record for consecutive wins at Alvalade. Some also focus on the fact that we haven't won more trophies this season, having lost the Supertaça and Taça da Liga finals. We, the Board, value above all the work done, much more than the results, the trophies, or the finals we’ve lost,” stated President Frederico Varandas at the event.

“Regardless of the trophies won and lost, the process undertaken is the most decisive criterion for us to continue believing that Sporting CP have a future, being where we should be: competing for trophies,” he said, also highlighting Rui Borges' “behaviour and human side.”

“He is a serious man, intellectually honest, free thinking, who protects his own and -something I value very much-, communicates using his head. We value all of that and, therefore, he will continue to be the coach of Sporting CP,” Varandas added.

Moving on to answer questions from the journalists present, the president addressed the renewal process.

“Sporting CP make decisions based on convictions and believing in work processes. We have no doubt that the coach is the right man for the job.”

Regarding the expectations for the future, the president outlined a clear objective: “to continue in the fight for trophies and in the title races. Sometimes we win, sometimes we lose. We have won more than we have lost, and what we want is to be in the finals, as we were this year. These gentlemen -and the great group of players we have had- have raised the bar for Sporting CP. I don't forget that this is the most successful group in the last 70 years of the club,” he highlighted.

Finally, when questioned about what went wrong in the pursuit of a third consecutive league title, he considered that “the failure to do that was the result of the success of this season on all fronts. In seven days we had three games, against Arsenal, SL Benfica and FC Porto, of unique difficulty. Am I going to condemn my coach and my players for believing it was possible to reach the Champions League semi-finals? Even more so, for playing two games against the Premier League leaders, a team with six times our budget? We were fighting for that qualification until the very last second. I think that would be very unfair.”

“The competitive demand on this squad was huge. Nowadays, with the new competition model, the Champions League is a huge step up from the UEFA Europa League. Credit to our rival, because they intelligently understood their abilities and limitations and were only playing for one trophy.”

After the joint photograph of the president and coach next to the mythical Gate 10 A, Rui Borges also made statements of his own, initially emphasizing the “great pride and satisfaction” that this contract renewal represents after 81 games leading the team.

“As the president said, everything that defines this coaching staff is encapsulated by the word 'work,' so it's a sign that our efforts are recognised, and that makes us very happy. It's a continuation of the commitment, rigour, and enormous ambition to, above all, make history at Sporting CP -and that in the future we feel honoured to have been here,” he stated.

“I’m very happy at Sporting CP and I will continue to be so, because here our day-to-day life is very honest and happy.”

Looking ahead to the new chapter in his tenure, Borges says that he aims to “work harder and better, with an ambition equal to that which we brought on the first day. Every day that passes, we learn from the good and the not-so-good things that we’ve done, and it’s up to us to work hard. We are where we want to be, thanks to our journey. We are fortunate.”

“Sporting CP, regardless of who the coach is, will always have very good professionals to honour the club and compete in everything they are involved in. We can still finish second in Liga Portugal, and that’s what we’re focused on. In my mind is the next game against Vitória SC, in which we want to continue fighting for second place and achieve access to the UEFA Champions League, and then we will focus on winning the Taça de Portugal,” he said.

“Sporting CP have their path, with a purpose and sustained growth, and that’s how it will continue to be,” guaranteed Borges.

The coach looks at the rescheduled Liga Portugal game

Rui Borges is looking "optimistically" at the final stretch of the season, despite all the difficulties that face Sporting CP is they are to defend their Liga Portugal title. In the press conference before the match against CD Tondela, which will be played this Wednesday, he fielded questions from the media.

The match against CD Tondela
"We have to focus and do everything to win the game, at home, against a team that need points and that, despite everything, have been quite bold in their strategy and have tried to gain more prominence in the game with their new coach,. They press very high at many points of the game, they leave themselves exposed in the process, and that boldness is praiseworthy. They’re a team that will give their all for the points, but we also have to do that because we need them. We need to win to match the points of the second-placed team.

We no longer have our fate in our hands, but we have to do our part. It’s a difficult game, with one team fighting for one objective, the other for another. Regardless of individual and collective quality, in those moments there is always an extra attitude, and we have to have it, especially in the mental aspect, which helps everything else: the physical aspect, the strategy. The players are aware of the responsibility and what we have to do: Have a good game to defeat CD Tondela.

The starting XI in Vila das Aves
"This goes far beyond choosing eleven to play. Choosing 'the best' side is relative. Against AVS Futebol SAD it was impossible to do that. This coach has a great connection with the players, and he listens to what they say, what they talk about, what they feel. At this stage, there's almost no strategy, it’s just about keeping them as fresh as possible. For this game, there were players who weren't able to contribute 100% for 60, 70, 80 minutes, and after some dialogue, those were the options.

But that's not why we didn't win. We did a lot, we did more than enough to win the game, but we didn't score. It had nothing to do with the coach's choices. The players are exhausted; no matter how much they want to play, their bodies don't respond in the same way. Therefore, throughout the last few games, the choices were always made collectively."

Mental fatigue’s impact on the decision
"The wear and tear is clearly physical, but predominantely mental. The mental aspect improves or worsens the physical side, and in that regard it has been enormous: the elimination from the UEFA Champions League, with the feeling that we could have made even more history, naturally affects the players. Immediately afterwards we had the game against SL Benfica, where one second we were about to be winning and the next we were losing. Feelings end up affecting the players, no matter how much we say they don't. Right after that we had to go to the Estádio do Dragão to fight to make a final, and the demands of the games have been huge. I don't like to talk about luck, as it has to do with random schedules, but we didn't have good fortune: we had four consecutive games of the highest level of demand, which pushed us to a mental and physical limit.”

His potential contract renewal
"I’m happy. I'm at a great club. These last few weeks, unfortunately, have taken us out of the fight for the third consecutive title. There's no escaping that, even if mathematically it's possible. But we stick with every decision until the end, and that's what dictates whether a job is good.

Above all, there's an everyday feeling of confidence. The path is well-defined, and everyone's work is very well done. We always want to win; unfortunately, we won't be able to, but then the responsibility will always fall on the coach, and I will never let the blame fall on my players. They have been fantastic, they have given everything, and they deserve all the praise."

Injuries throughout the season
"It's not a normal amount, of course. There are things we don't control. If we had had 18 muscle injuries, then yes, we would have to rethink all the work that is being done, but that's not what happened. At the beginning of the season, we had the Taça da Liga, Taça de Portugal, and league games where we managed to get everyone playing and rotate, but at the most important moment of the season we couldn't do that because we had very important players out, like Geovany Quenda, Fotis Ioannidis, and Pedro Gonçalves -players who provide more solutions and whom we lost for some time.

That's football. We couldn't control traumatic injuries, and we had all sorts of those. Muscle injuries always exist, at Sporting CP and at any team in the world. If we compare the numbers they're pretty much the same this season. Now, at this stage, we knew we ran the risk of having more muscle injuries, because the workload was enormous. In that aspect, we didn't have more injuries than other teams.

We had more trauma injuries, but we don't control them. It affected our squad management, of course -there's no escaping that. I’ll say it again: The players gave their all and there's no pointing the finger at them."

The January transfer window
"Sporting CP have a squad of 28 or 29 players, plus those on the B team. If at the beginning we had guessed that there would be ten players out, with injuries that we don't control, we would have done something about it, but there are things we don't know beforehand. We would have to have a squad of 50 players for that. Maybe that's what will happen in the future, as the demands of the schedule is surreal.

We had a balanced squad in all positions. It wasn't because of the January transfer window. We knew we could lose Alisson [Santos], we added two players with a perspective for the future, and with Matheus [Reis] it was a specific situation. We had players out injured for longer, which nobody expects."

Options for the game against CD Tondela
"Georgios Vagiannidis, Ousmane Diomande and Dani Bragança are doubts. That's three more players. They have some knocks. Ivan Fresneda, Fotis Ioannidis, Gonçalo Inácio and Morten Hjulmand are also out.

Regarding Nuno Santos, he returned to training the day before the game against AVS Futebol SAD and that's why we opted not to call him up. But he's well now and will be named in the squad."

Asking for 'extra' effort from players already at their limit
"They know they are at a demanding club. I'm very much about dialogue. The players know the importance they have on the team and what they represent in the dynamics and in the group. The team need them, and I'll give an example that is praise for Daniel [Bragança]:

At the Estádio do Dragão, he shouldn't even have come on. But he wanted to be with the team, in an important game, and he wanted to help. He came on hurt and played very well, and remained hurt against AVS Futebol SAD. He remains hurt for tomorrow. However, with his determination, he won me over in five minutes. I don't want to lose him, of course, because there's a month left in the season, he's already been out for a long time, and if he gets injured, he won't play again this season. But his feeling prevailed.

I'm very much in favour of honesty and respect. The players have the coach's respect, and the coach has theirs. If it works, it works. If it doesn't, it doesn't. They are the best to assess this, as they perceive the signals from their own bodies. It's clear there's a lot of fatigue, but there's respect and recognition so they can also say if they can help the team and for how long they can do so."

Rotations against CD Tondela
"By tomorrow I will make decisions regarding the players who are most physically and mentally fatigued. The workload of players like Maxi [Araújo], Luis [Suárez] and [Francisco] Trincão has been crazy. Against AVS Futebol SAD, even coming on later, you could feel they weren't fresh."

How to motivate the group with these conditions
"By being optimistic and with a lot of confidence, always. My dialogue with them is always about demanding more, because they know where they are and the club they represent, they know the responsibility of fighting for every honour. We always have to give our best. From my side, it's about showing confidence, the same attitude, the will to keep winning and continuing on our path.

They, more than anyone, feel what happened, but they know that we have complete confidence. They are a great group, a great team. They haven't stopped being that. And they, more than anyone, always want to win; they know what it meant not to win that last game. So they are motivated and switched on.”

The coach reviews the 1-1 draw away from home

Following the 1-1 draw between Sporting Clube de Portugal and AVS Futebol SAD, Rui Borges gave a press conference to answer questions from journalists.

Analysis of the game
"We had a reasonably good game that should have been enough to leave here with a victory. There were several opportunities for us, we just lacked accuracy in front of goal. AVS Futebol SAD were fortunate from a move that happens more and more in football, and we were penalised in that sense. There's not much we can do, it's as simple as that. We didn't finish the opportunities we had in the best way and we were punished.

The first half was very slow in terms of our variation. AVS Futebol SAD used a very low defensive block, and we entered the game very slowly. In the second half, we focused our play more around Zeno Debast. We tried to speed things up, we managed to create goal-scoring situations, but we didn't finish them off."

The maths for the title race
"I'm not throwing in the towel, but it's no longer down to ourselves for second place even. FC Porto have the path open to win the title, and we have to be serious until the end to at least secure second place."

Recent performances
"We've had many demanding games, and the fatigue is real. It was impossible for us not to make changes to the team or rotate the squad. The team gave everything, but we weren't able to win the game. We knew we would pay the price somehow, but we were confident that, with the group's commitment, we would overcome the difficulty. At this stage, it was necessary to have the squad at full strength, but we have some absences, which has caused an overload of minutes for some players. I'm proud of what they've done, they've given everything for the team, but of course they're not as fresh as they were at the beginning. They are switched on and committed."

Os Leões push hard but fail to find a late winner

Sporting Clube de Portugal drew 1-1 away to AVS Futebol SAD on Liga Portugal Matchday 31, putting a dent in their title chances. A Rafael Nel goal was cancelled out by an equaliser from the penalty spot.

Rui Borges fielded a team with six changes for the trip to Vila das Aves, with Eduardo Quaresma, Gonçalo Inácio, Maxi Araújo, Morten Hjulmand, Geny Catamo and Luis Suárez being replaced by Georgios Vagiannidis, Zeno Debast, Ricardo Mangas, Giorgi Kochorashvili, Pedro Gonçalves and Rafael Nel.

Sporting CP started at full throttle and, just 6 minutes in, after a corner from the right taken by Pedro Gonçalves, Zeno Debast had a shot that forced a good save from goalkeeper Adriel. This was followed by a pacy run from Geovany Quenda and an attack from Ricardo Mangas, who tried to set up a teammate but had his delivery cleared.

Georgios Vagiannidis came close to scoring, shooting wide in the 10th minute. Three minutes later, Hidemasa Morita found Gonçalves in the area, and his drive required another save from Adriel. Rafael Nel also enjoyed a chance in the early stages.

Sporting CP were dominating, and AVS Futebol SAD were completely on the back foot. However, the visitors managed to react with a dangerous cross from Mateus Pivô that ended up in Rui Silva's hands in the six-yard box. Shortly after, Diego Duarte advanced in determined fashion, but Diomande made a brilliant interception.

At the other end, Sporting CP launched another counterattack to play Nel through, but Adriel managed to beat him to the ball. In response, Pedro Lima shot from distance over the crossbar.

On 36 minutes, from a well-executed free kick, the ball fell to Francisco Trincão, who lacked accuracy to finish off the move. Guilherme Neiva, in the AVS Futebol SAD attack, obliged Rui Silva into a save shortly after.

Quenda's hit a strike into the side netting before halftime, and what seemed like a foul on Rafael Nel in the AVS Futebol SAD area was not given as a penalty, leaving the score at 0-0.

The deadlock was broken in the second minute of the second half. Vagiannidis advanced down the right and crossed into the middle of the area, where Devenish tried to clear but sent the ball towards his own net. Nel managed to get a touch on it before the ball completely crossed the line, giving him his third goal of the season.

The lead could have been doubled almost immediately, but Gonçalves' curling shot from outside the area hit the post.

Before the hour, Rui Borges replaced Quenda and Nel with Geny Catamo and Luis Suárez, and Sporting CP had two consecutive opportunities: Within seconds, Adriel denied both Morita and Kochorashvili with two great saves.

There was, however, a setback for Sporting CP: From another VAR review, referee Pedro Ramalho awarded a penalty against Sporting CP. Pedro Lima converted to make it 1-1.

After a free kick from the left, headed by Diomande into Adriel's hands, Gonçalves and Mangas were substituted to bring on Luís Guilherme and Maxi Araújo, with just over a quarter of an hour remaining.

In one of AVS Futebol SAD's rare attacks, Diego Duarte gave Rui Silva work to do.  That was followed by, in 76th minute, a Zeno Debast cross that Catamo headed. Adriel made another save to keep out the effort.

The visiting goalkeeper made another intervention to deny Guilherme, whilst on the break it was up to Rui Silva to gather Tunde Akinsola's shot.

In the 82nd minute, an unbelievable series of actions saw a  shot by Araújo saved by Adriel, a second attempt by the Uruguayan hitting a defender, and the third going to Catamo, who sent the ball against the post.

For the final moments, Giorgi Kochorashvili came off and Daniel Bragança came on.

Before the final whistle, Luis Suárez shot wide and AVS Futebol SAD had a great opportunity that saw Oscar Perea hit the post. Morita had a chance to win it late, as did Suárez -who was denied by Adriel in a tremendous save. The game concluded 1-1.

Sporting CP will now host CD Tondela on Wednesday, April 29th, in a postponed match from earlier in the season.

Sporting CP: Rui Silva [GK], Georgios Vagiannidis, Ousmane Diomande, Zeno Debast, Ricardo Mangas (Maxi Araújo, 73'), Giorgi Kochorashvili (Daniel Bragança, 84'), Hidemasa Morita, Geovany Quenda (Geny Catamo, 56'), Francisco Trincão [C], Pedro Gonçalves (Luís Guilherme, 73') and Rafael Nel (Luis Suárez, 56').

The coach warns of the danger of Sunday's opponents

Rui Borges looked at Sporting Clube de Portugal’s Liga Portugal trip to AVS Futebol SAD in his pre-match press conference.

Previewing the game
"It's a stadium where we dropped points last season. We had that difficulty, which we also had in the Taça de Portugal at home, which shows what AVS Futebol SAD can do. They have improved a lot in the second half of the season, especially defensively. They are a very competitive side and the fact that they are already relegated liberates them from the pressure of the game. They will be up against a big team, the current champions. They will be very motivated and have nothing to lose, which will make them even more eager to demonstrate their true individual and collective value.

Morten Hjulmand’s injury
"We understood the seriousness of the injury at the time; so much so that he was supposed to come off at half-time -but the coach was stubborn. His foot was in a difficult condition and we possibly won't have Morten back until the end of the season. There is that risk, unfortunately. It wasn't a very pretty challenge, but we have to move on from it and think about the game against AVS Futebol SAD."

Believing in having a team to fight for the top spots
"We have demonstrated this at various points in the season. The entire squad has responded and given confidence to the coaching staff. Everyone counts, they are willing to play and want an opportunity. We have already won without Morten and without other players. Mathematically, the title is still possible and that's what we're focused on. My level of hope is still very high."

Hidemasa Morita
"He is a very important player. Before coming to Sporting CP, I had already said that I was a fan of his qualities. Now that I’m here, I'm an even bigger fan of his. A contract renewal isn't just about the club and the coach, it's also about the player. There are several parties involved. Of course, we would like to continue to have him, but there are things that, sometimes, are not possible on one side or the other, because an understanding cannot be reached. Players may want other challenges and we have to understand all of that when we get to the end of the season. We believe in him a lot and he's loved by everyone.”

Statements from the FC Porto coach
"I haven't seen or read anything. I'm only concerned about AVS Futebol SAD. We won't play against FC Porto anymore this season."

"Fortunately, I'm at a club where they give me the freedom to always speak as I want. At other clubs, perhaps, the coaches just say what they're told. Not me; I always say what I want. My freedom of expression is down to what I think and feel. I don't waste time on things that don't make sense to me. I'm focused on AVS Futebol SAD and I'm not going to comment on statements from a coach of a team we've already played against. Naturally, they've been worried about Sporting CP for a long time. It's a good sign, a sign that Sporting CP are truly great."

Gonçalo Inácio
"He'll be out for two or three weeks. He's out of tomorrow's game and the next few fixtures."

The Clássico
"There's selective memory. I could talk about the game at Alvalade where Alberto could have been sent off, or several other things. There are mistakes in every game, everywhere, and I'm focused on AVS Futebol SAD. We've reached the final of the Taça de Portugal, which was our objective, and we have to be happy about that."

Geovany Quenda
"He had a fantastic game against FC Porto. He's returning from injury after a few months out, and we have to understand how we need to manage his condition. He responded perfectly. He's a very important player. I hope he helps us a lot in this final stretch; he's another great option for our attack."

The team’s motivation
"We’re a team that alway demonstrates this ambition and always want to win. The players understand that, at times, things won't go as planned, it's part of the process, but they have a different mentality. They are champions, which says a lot about the human and sporting quality of all of them. I am immensely proud of my team and they demonstrated their ambition at the Estádio do Dragão. Tomorrow I believe they will give a great response again."

SCU Torreense reaching the Taça de Portugal final
"I’m happy for SCU Torreense. I've been on the other side, at lower-level teams, and I know very well how much people dream about this. I hope it’s a beautiful final against a team that are having a great season. Within their capabilities, they will make it as difficult as possible for us. It will be a difficult game against a highly motivated team."

Fotis Ioannidis
"He is recovering and training on the pitch, but not with the team. He is going through the stages he needs to go through. He is doing better and I believe he will still help the team before the end of the season."

Players out
"Iván Fresneda and João Simões are also unavailable for the game tomorrow."

The final stretch of the season
"The workload has been immense due to all the setbacks we've had. Injuries have taken away a lot from us. The motivation is there, they will want to finish the season in the best way and fight for whatever is possible. We have to do our part, and there's no point in thinking about the other teams. We are motivated by being in the final of the Taça de Portugal. There is fatigue -we can't escape that- and it's noticeable in some players, but the motivation to play and desire to help has been greater than this busy period. I believe that's what will lead them to get through this difficult stage.”