The coach analyses the meeting with Paris Saint Germain

Rui Borges spoke to the media in a press conference ahead of the seventh matchday in the UEFA Champions League, in which Sporting Clube de Portugal host the current European champions, Paris Saint-Germain.

Preview of the match
“Sporting CP, not only in home games but also away, have shown what we're capable of, our ideas and our personality. I hope we are able to do that again against a great team -perhaps the best in Europe, because they won the competition last season.

We also had the 'good fortune' that the draw pitted us against two of the three best teams in Europe, in PSG and FC Bayern Munich. I would add Arsenal FC to that list as well. This has to be, above all, a source of pride and enormous motivation to face the best and show that we are at that level.”

Facing PSG being the biggest challenge of his career
"What challenged me the most was the first day I came to this club. Every day here is my biggest challenge and the happiest day of my life. I'm at a big club and every day I have to try to be better, to win more and provide more history for Sporting CP.

Facing the best in Europe is, of course, a great source of motivation for the coaching staff and the players, to show that we are capable of competing with the best, both collectively and individually. However, the biggest challenge is me being the head coach of Sporting CP."

The return of Pedro Gonçalves and Ousmane Diomande
"Pote and Diomande may be available, although I'm not sure yet, for the game in Arouca."

Absentees
"Zeno [Debast] is back, Dani [Bragança] is back, and little by little players are returning to make the team more capable and stronger. For Tuesday, above all, a lot of courage is needed to face the best team in collective and individual terms.

Any player I put in will be highly motivated to give a response and help the team. Not only in the UEFA Champions League, but in all the competitions we are in, we have shown the greatness of this team. Tuesday will be the same. We will play with 11 and, above all, the group has shown that everyone is a solution, everyone is a great player. When a teammate fails, the others are even more motivated to show that we are a real team and that we are together."

European performances bringing confidence
"The team have given a tremendous response in the UEFA Champions League games. They've shown great maturity. We're playing at home, where we've won and where we've already faced good teams. Now, we're going to face a great side: the team with the most possession in the UEFA Champions League this season, who hold practically every statistical record in their league, and who have scored the most goals, along with Borussia Dortmund.

They are a very strong team in reacting to losing possession, winning the ball a lot in the attacking midfield and scoring many goals from there. We have to understand how to create danger against PSG, because I believe they will look at us with respect for everything we've done in the UEFA Champions League and in domestic competitions."

The team being viewed differently by opponents
"I believe that's the case. This only motivates us to continue demonstrating that we are good as a team. Regardless of the opponents, we respect whoever is up against us, but we approach this match with enormous motivation. We want clubs to look at us differently, and I think they have been doing so. This is thanks to the players, because of everything they have been capable of in these two years -but especially this year, which is the one that is our responsibility.

We are a great Sporting CP side, where the collective is the star of the team. It's the collective that makes the individual stand out. That's what we want to show. We know what PSG are capable of, but we also know that they respect us and that we are a great team who are highly motivated. The fans will be very important at all times. We need to continue to be very courageous, but above all very responsible."

Defensive solidity at Alvalade
"Sporting CP have proven to be a great team, not only defensively but also offensively. I believe it will be a great game between two teams that like to win and have a high percentage of goals, which demonstrates the quality of both of us. We know that they have some of the best players in the world in their positions, and it will be a challenge to neutralise that individual talent. Football is increasingly decided by inspiration, and we have to be able to neutralise that."

The standings
"I will focus only on Tuesday's game. Then we will see what we are capable of. We will soon see the consequence of our ability in this game and, later, we will think about Athletic Club. I don't make calculations ahead of time."

Different defensive organisation
"Our defensive organisation in Munich wasn't different. Edu [Quaresma] played as a right-back, not as a centre-back. He gave us other characteristics, but we didn't change tactically. We faced a great team that forced us to drop back more often as a unit, something that isn't so common. I believe that PSG, being a very possession-based and dynamic team, with midfielders without fixed positions, like Vitinha and Ousmane Dembélé, will make it difficult for us to activate the pressure at certain moments.

They will force us to drop back more often to a medium-low block, but not because of a change in our tactics, but because of their quality. What we are doesn't change, only some strategic individual behaviours. The opponents push us further back, and that's why, sometimes, the five-man defence is so dangerous."

Alvalade as a decisive factor
"I believe that Luis Enrique has analysed our home games in the UEFA Champions League, but also the away games, because we have given great responses and great demonstrations of our collective and individual ideas and quality. What we have been able to do has been demonstrated throughout the season.

In the UEFA Champions League, we have grown in maturity because the responsibility increases, and a small slipup changes everything. Above all, the team are committed, courageous, and confident."

The Mozambican looks at the game against PSG

Geny Catamo previewed Sporting CP's seventh UEFA Champions League fixture of the season, in which they will face the reigning champions, Paris Saint-Germain.

Expectations for the game
"We know it will be a difficult and important game, because we are playing at home and we have an obligation to win. Having PSG as opponents will be interesting throughout the game, because they are a side with great players. Playing at home is always special, especially because we have the Sporting CP fans getting behind us as we go in search of victory."

Facing Nuno Mendes
"I've never come up against Nuno Mendes, but as I said, PSG have great players, including Nuno. We're great friends, and the matchup will be interesting. He's in good form, and it will be a pleasure to face one of the best full-backs in the world. I will give my all to help the team achieve victory."

His possible contract renewal 
"What makes me happy is representing Sporting CP. For me, the focus is not on the renewal, but on Tuesday's game and representing Sporting CP whenever I can."

The possibility of a win
"I believe it will be a magical night, as it's a UEFA Champions League game against a great team. There will be a good atmosphere, with the support of all of the Sporting CP fans at the stadium or at home, and we will all feel that energy to go for it against PSG and try to take the three points."

The coach reviews the win over Casa Pia AC

Following the 3-0 victory at home against Casa Pia AC, Rui Borges analysed the match in his post-match press conference, highlighting the welcome returns of Daniel Bragança and Geny Catamo.

Match Analysis
"In the first half, we lacked a certain amount of energy, especially since here we usually start very strong and intense. Casa Pia AC were good in the first ten minutes, creating discomfort for our defence, and then we balanced the game out. We needed to be a little more dynamic on the wings, but the goal gave us that confidence. We started to be more aggressive in provoking the Casa Pia AC defence, which is strong in duels, and we needed to create openings to find spaces for the players who had the ball.

In the second half, we controlled play from start to finish; Casa Pia AC looked for longer balls, deflections and deep attacks, but our defensive line was very good. I think it was a fair result considering how the match unfolded."

Luís Guilherme's debut
"He had a good, competent game, and he will improve with time. He's a young man, he's 19 years old, he's very intelligent, he likes to learn and understands quickly, and in the future he will be very important."

Daniel Bragança
"I'm happy. He's a captain who has come back after a difficult injury. I've always seen an enormous desire to return from him, and he's always very optimistic and resilient. He has always responded very well, grew on all levels, and today was the reward for a week of hard work. He added a lot of quality to the team and that doesn't surprise me or anyone else."

The transfer market
"I don't think anyone will leave. I'm happy with the squad and I'll be even happier when I have everybody available. The team are clearly stronger; we're always making adjustments, and no matter how much quality we have, we lose dynamism and intensity at times. There isn't much time to acquire new habits, but the team have given me a huge response and I'm very happy to be in charge. Now, it's about trying to get everyone back to their best as quickly as possible."

Pressure in the second half of the season
"It doesn't make things difficult at all, because of the team's spirit, the feeling of ambition... we are focused only and solely on ourselves. We have to do our job well. We had a good first half of the season, FC Porto had an extraordinary first half, and we have to have a better second half than the first. If whoever is ahead continues to do what they are doing, it's to their credit, but we have to think about what we control, go game by game, and then wait and see. But before waiting, we have to do our bit, which is to win our games."

Returns after the African Cup of Nations
"I'm very happy to have Geny back. He was in great form before going away and he came back with the same confidence. He's a very important player. As for Ousmane Diomande, I hope he comes back as soon as possible."

Returns of Zeno Debast and Ricardo Mangas
"I'm happy. Zeno needs time, and Mangas doesn't anymore. I hope the guys who are out are near to coming back. I want to have everyone available and the team will become more capable of overcoming what's ahead if that happens. I hope Pedro Gonçalves can return against FC Arouca, I can't say for sure if Ousmane Diomande will be available against Paris Saint Germain. Fotis Ioannidis's return also depends a lot on the day-to-day assessment and we don't have a date for that."

Playing with two left-footed centre-backs
"It's a matter of mentality. Playing with two right-footed centre-backs is normal, so why not with two left-footed ones? We're just not used to it happening, but I think it will happen more and more in the future. Yesterday I was jokingly saying in training, because we play with two left-footed centre-backs and two right-footed full-backs, that in a few years we'll see full-backs with their feet crossed because it brings other perspectives to the game in decision-making. Football is becoming increasingly revolutionary in terms of creating alternatives to overcome the most organised teams. But for me it doesn't change anything. Inácio's passing quality is extraordinary, whether he's playing on the left or the right. Mainly has to do with his individual quality."

Geny Catamo's best season to date
"He has already been important. It has to do with the confidence we gave him. Trincão is having a great season, Pote was also having a good one, Luís is having a good season, Morten is even better than last year, and that enhances their value. That's what we want: to win but also to increase their value. Within the collective, they are growing more and more because they have the coach's confidence to make mistakes, to try, and it's normal that they fail because they take more risks than the others."

Sporting CP claim a 3-0 home win in Liga Portugal

Sporting Clube de Portugal defeated Casa Pia AC 3-0 on Liga Portugal Matchday 18, as Geny Catamo scored twice and Daniel Bragança added a third late on.

For the first game at the Estádio José Alvalade in 2026, Rui Borges gave Luís Guilherme his maiden start in the league, whilst also welcoming back Gonçalo Inácio, Hidemasa Morita, Geny Catamo and Georgios Vagiannidis to the first XI.

Zeno Debast was also back available, almost three months after the injury he sustained in the match against Olympique Marseille. Bragança, who had already been included in the squad for the match against Vitória SC, was still looking for his first minutes back, although had tested the waters with an appearance for the Sporting CP B team.

Before the opening whistle, the Sporting CP Legends, who last weekend were crowned champions of the Taça da Liga Legends, took to the pitch to receive applause from the fans.

When the game got underway, Iván Fresneda played on the left, Matheus Reis partnering up with captain Gonçalo Inácio. Casa Pia AC had the first shot of the contest, albeit without troubling Rui Silva in goal.

Debuting Casa Pia AC coach had his team organised and daring on the pitch, demonstrating from the start their intention to make life difficult for Sporting CP.

On nine minutes, in another very quick counter-attack, Casa Pia players again made a move upfield, but Iván Fresneda made a quick interception, deflecting Jérémy Livolant's shot.

Sporting CP managed to breach the defence for the first time on 14 minutes, following a direct free kick taken by Luis Suárez. In the 17th minute, a shot from outside the area by João Simões also went harmlessly over.

On 20 minutes, the Suárez tried his luck again, with another direct free kick from the left that went wide. On 27 minutes, a good combination between Francisco Trincão and Fresneda saw the latter head off target by a matter of centimetres.

The first great move of the match came after the half-hour mark and caused a huge roar from the stands. On 35 minutes, Trincão found Suárez and, with a powerful run, he left an opponent behind before setting up Luís Guilherme. The Brazilian stretched to the fullest, but couldn't turn the ball into the empty net.

The opening goal came soon afterwards. Back after participating in the African Cup of Nations, Geny Catamo made an impact by single-handedly breaking the deadlock: He received the ball from Trincão, cut inside and placed a shot out of the reach of the goalkeeper.

Five minutes later, in the 43rd minute, he got his second. Inácio found the winger, and Catamo slotted the ball past Patrick Sequeira to make it 2-0.

It was the visitors who started the second half better. Not even a minute had passed before Cassiano and Jérémy Livolant combined at speed near the area. The Frenchman's shot didn't go far wide. Trincão's effort at the other end, following up from a Sequeira save, was also off target.

Both teams only created danger: Tiago Morais popped up in a central position and shot, forcing a safe intervention from Rui Silva.

On 65th minutes, after eleven months out, Daniel Bragança stepped onto the pitch to mark his return to first team action.

Playing at a slower pace, Sporting CP continued to dominate the match, and Bragança had an opportunity with a volley that Sequeira saved.

He would get his happy ending moments later, in the 79th minute, after a mistake in transition from the visitors. Suárez passed to the returning midfielder, and Bragança struck the ball through Patrick Sequeira's legs to score.

There was still time for more good news for Rui Borges. In the 82nd minute, Zeno Debast came back from injury, brought on by the coach in a triple substitution along with Giorgi Kochorashvili and Alisson Santos. The Brazilian had another opportunity to extend the lead, already in stoppage time, when he dribbled past a defender on the right and shot powerfully into the side netting.

With the game entering stoppage time, Clau Mendes received a red card and, with a numerical advantage in the four additional minutes, Sporting CP ran down the clock for a 3-0 win.

The team next host Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League, on Tuesday at 8pm.

Sporting CP: Rui Silva [GK], Matheus Reis (Zeno Debast, 82’), Hidemasa Morita, Geny Catamo (Alisson Santos, 82’), Georgios Vagiannidis (Ricardo Mangas, 65’), Francisco Trincão, Iván Fresneda, Gonçalo Inácio, Luís Guilherme (Daniel Bragança, 65’), João Simões (Giorgi Kochorashvili, 82’) and Luis Suárez. Coach: Rui Borges.

The coach looks at the game against Casa Pia AC

Sporting Clube de Portugal host Casa Pia AC on Friday in their latest Liga Portugal fixture, and coach Rui Borges gave a pre-match press conference to analyse the challenge ahead.

Casa Pia AC
"The change of coach they've made makes the game more difficult tactically. Álvaro Pacheco has already employed several formations and dynamics. It's always difficult to say how Casa Pia AC will set up, so we can't focus too much on that. They are a very competitive, intense, and strong team in duels, with good players on the counter-attack. They are very competent on the defensive side. We can't stray from what we've done since the beginning of the season to continue growing. We've had some players out, and it's natural that the team lose some intensity due to that."

Jeremiah St. Juste
"He is not part of the Sporting CP first team."

Vitória SC's Taça da Liga victory
"Congratulations to them on the victory and the achievement, for what it means to the fans, the team, the coach, and the structure there. They deserved it, and they did it."

Zeno Debast and Ricardo Mangas
"[Zeno Debast] trained today. He is available, but he had a longer time off. Just like [Ricardo] Mangas, he will be limited in terms of his playing time because he doesn't have the capacity to meet the demands of 90 minutes."

A week of training
"It was a very good week, apart from not being able to be present in a final that we wanted to play. The players had a mandatory and necessary rest. It was possible to train more normally, and the intensity, commitment, and joy in the squad were spectacular. I was happy with the team's response; they have a strong, winning, and ambitious mentality. I needed to feel that. Not because of the defeat, but because of the injuries. For the first time, I was a little down because so many people were out, but the group quickly put a smile back on our faces. Being very positive is my way. I believe that tomorrow we will give a very good response in the game."

Nuno Santos
"You have to go through the stages of recovery. He and everyone else knew that his would take longer. His mentality is extraordinary. The day before yesterday he was already telling me that he would be available in Bilbao. It's good that he's like that, because he gets motivated during a long and difficult time out. He has improved and is closer to returning, but I can't say how much time is left before he comes back. We need him, and he's an important player for the coaching staff and for the group."

Hidemasa Morita and Matheus Reis
"They are two players who are part of our plans, and who will not leave in this transfer window."

Rodrigo Ribeiro
"We listened to his own will. I had a conversation with him and said that I thought that sometimes young players want to take too many steps forward and then disappear. In his case, he emerged early, very young, and the expectation was very high. This season, he understood and accepted our idea. He was a first-team player playing games for the B team and had six fantastic months, in which he grew a lot. I admire him a lot and we didn't want him to leave, but it was his wish. He thinks it's a very good opportunity and I wish him the best of luck. The departure of one player is an opportunity for others, and there are more young players in the B team and the under-23s."

Injuries
"Ousmane Diomande came back injured from international duty and is out of the game. Pedro Gonçalves and Fotis Ioannidis remain out for now. Pote is in the final phase of his rehabilitation and I'm not sure if he will be ready for the game against PSG. For the game against FC Arouca, I believe he will have playing time. Regarding Fotis, it's very much a day-to-day process."

Luís Guilherme
"He's adapted well. He's very intelligent and likes to listen and learn. I think he can give us solutions in various areas of the pitch. From what I understand, he prefers to play on the right, but he's also a solution on the left and in the middle. At SE Palmeiras he played on the right, at West Ham on the left, and at youth level he was a number ten. He has a technical quality that is far above the norm and, in the future, he will be very important at Sporting CP."

The absence of Morten Hjulmand due to suspension
"We have Hidemasa Morita, Giorgi Kochorashvili and Daniel Bragança, all at 100%. Dani is different because he had a long spell out. He's getting minutes to keep improving. He's been improving daily and this week was important for him. He's very important for the team on and off the field. He adds a lot of quality to our dynamic."

Returns from the African Cup of Nations
"Geny Catamo came back well and is ready for the game. Ousmane Diomande's situation is beyond our control; I don't know how long he'll be out."

Sporting CP fans
"I want to send a word of encouragement and affection to our fans, who will be even more important than they have been in supporting the team. Everyone is important, and it's necessary that they believe in us as much as we do. Regardless of what may happen to us, we will try to be as competitive as possible and represent Sporting CP in the best way possible."

The coach reflects on the cup exit

After Sporting CP's elimination in the semi-final of the Taça da Liga, Rui Borges gave a press conference to analyse the match against Vitória SC.

Reaction to the game and the setbacks
"It's difficult. It's something that seems like a study in adversity. Today, for the first time, I feel like that, and I believe the team feel it too: However optimistic we are, it hurts to see so many people out injured. It's not an excuse, however, as in a game where we could have made it 2-0, the opposition ended up believing in themselves in stoppage time and were lucky. That's all."

More pressure
"The pressure is a daily thing at Sporting CP, regardless of whether or not we achieve our objectives and results. The pressure is there to be a better team and to win. More than the results, I believe that everything that has happened affects the players. We, as the coaching staff, have to find a way to lift them up. We have to move on and focus on what's left to play for this season: the entire second half of the campaign is still to come, and we have to do better than in the first, because only then can we achieve our objectives."

The wave of injuries
"It's not the muscle injuries that have been keeping players out. As optimistic as I am and as much as I don't dwell on it, my greatest sadness is leaving here today without having two players available for the next game. It gets to a point where it's impossible not to feel it. But we don't have that many muscle injuries. They are mostly trauma injuries, which are things that happen and we have to push through."

Going into the transfer market
"There's accumulated fatigue, and today you noticed it in the collective energy we had. So many injuries should be a case study. It's unbelievable; I don't know what else can happen to us. We had to make another two substitutions due to injuries. I repeat that it's not an excuse, but it's really difficult not to have a moment when we feel hindered by it. Today I leave here really sad, and even more so because Edu [Quaresma]'s injury seems a bit more serious.

Sporting CP live off our academy, and if we have to rely on those players, we will. We can't go into the transfer market as a knee-jerk reaction, otherwise in two months we'll have forty players in the squad. We have to be cautious and assess if there's any specific need, but we'll always rely on the youngsters."

The late turnaround
"We're going to try to fight for everything we still can: The Taça de Portugal and the league. There's still a long way to go, many points to play for, and we have to have an even better second half of the season than the first. Whoever is in the lead is having an extraordinary season. We are focused on what we want. We really want to compete in the Taça de Portugal final, just as we wanted to compete in this one, but we have to give credit to the opponents, who always believed.

We lost some rebounds, some loose balls, and it's noticeable that collectively we don't have that much energy. Here and there, we weren't as competent in some moves. It's natural that the fans aren't happy, because this club always wants to be in with the chance of a trophy and today we didn't manage it. Both they and we are sad."

No lack of attitude
"There's no lack of attitude at all. We could have made it 2-0 and we didn't, just like against Gil Vicente FC. We just have to understand how to better control the final phase of the games, even with this accumulated fatigue."

Tactical changes after Fotis Ioannidis' injury
"Each player's individual ability is different. We put Francisco Trincão inside, as a left-footer and we put a right-footer playing wide, which isn't something we usually do, but Alisson gives us one-on-one opportunities in the channel. Perhaps we lacked the attacking depth that Fotis [Ioannidis] gives us, because Trincão is a supporting player, but in tactical terms nothing changed, only what each one brings to the team."

The team suffer a stoppage-time turnaround against Vitória SC

Sporting Clube de Portugal lost 1-2 to Vitória SC on Tuesday, eliminating them from the Taça da Liga. In the game at the Dr. Magalhães Pessoa stadium in Leiria, they opened the scoring early but conceded two goals in stoppage time.

With Daniel Bragança back in the squad and new arrival Luís Guilherme making his debut, Rui Borges fielded a starting XI with only one change from the last match, and with youngster Flávio Gonçalves getting his first start for the senior side.

The initial pace of the match was lukewarm, and the first ten minutes passed without any major incidents: On four minutes, Flávio Gonçalves made a run down the wing and, on eight minutes, Vitória SC's Oumar Camara was played in ahead of Rui Silva, but neither team managed to capitalise on their moves.

However, the scoring was opened before the quarter-hour. Luis Suárez found the net when Francisco Trincão sent the ball over the Vitória defense and played the Colombian through. Squaring up to goalkeeper Charles Silva, he shot first-time for his fifth goal in three games.

The opposition relied on speed on the wings, and sought to respond immediately. On 19 minutes, Gonçalo Nogueira had an effort blocked by Matheus Reis. On 21 minutes, another warning came from Miguel Nóbrega. And, on 23 minutes, Sporting CP suffered a setback: Fotis Ioannidis went down injured and was eventually replaced by Alisson Santos.

For Vitória SC, Diogo Sousa's strike went just wide, before a pair of quick Sporting CP moves saw them win several corners in quick succession: From the first, Flávio Gonçalves had a shot was deflected out. On the second attempt, Eduardo Quaresma rose high but headed over the crossbar.

At 35 minutes, Luis Suárez nearly scored a second with a powerful shot from the edge of the box, only to be denied by Charles Silva. Alisson Santos, who Sporting CP signed from UD Leiria and was thus used to the cup semi-final venue, appeared on the right side of the six-yard box to receive the rebound and smashed the ball, but the goalkeeper made a monumental save.

Later, in stoppage time, it was Rui Silva's turn to shine. Rodrigo Abascal saw the Sporting CP goalkeeper out of position and tried to chip him from behind the halfway line, but the Portuguese international showed quick reflexes to scramble back.

After the interval, Sporting CP came back out eager to go for the second goal. In the 47th minute, inside the penalty area, Trincão responded connected with a cross from Alisson Santos and only failed to score due to the poor condition of the pitch.

At the other end, Vitória SC continued to show danger in transitions, and Nélson Oliveira had a good chance in the 49th minute that he ended up sending well over the bar.

In the 51st minute, Iván Fresneda served up a chance for João Simões, and the young midfielder turned and forced another good save from Charles Silva – who was important again three minutes later, stopping an attempt by Luis Suárez.

In the 67th minute, there was another blow delt to Rui Borges. After a heavy collision, Eduardo Quaresma needed to be taken off. The Sporting coach used the opportunity to make a double substitution, bringing on Rômulo Jr. and Hidemasa Morita.

Amidst a stop-start period of play, in the 84th minute Alisson Santos unleashed a piledriver from inside the area, forcing Charles Silva to make another intervention.

In the 89th minute, Trincão tried to kill the game off inside the area, sending a defender to the floor and teeing up Hidemasa Morita. The Japanese only failed to score because of a block from Charles Silva.

Beyond the 90 minutes, Rui Borges made another double substitution, bringing on Luís Guilherme, who joined Giorgi Kochorashvili for the minimum 11 minutes of added time given by the referee.

Then the game turned on its head. Alioune Ndoye equalised for Vitória SC. In the 92nd minute, after a well-executed move on the right, the striker appeared in the six-yard box to finish past Rui Silva.

Both teams pressed for the goal that would secure their place in the final and avoid a penalty shootout. The opponents had a direct free kick from Matija Mitrovic graze the post, then got their second goal from another Alioune Ndoye opportunity, in a smash-and-grab ending to the game.

The defeat means that Sporting CP thus said goodbye to the possibility of competing for their first trophy of 2026.

Sporting CP: Rui Silva [GR], Matheus Reis, Francisco Trincão (Luís Guilherme, 90’), Maxi Araújo, Iván Fresneda, Morten Hjulmand, João Simões (Giorgi Kochorashvili, 90’), Flávio Gonçalves (Hidemasa Morita, 67’), Eduardo Quaresma (Rômulo Jr., 67’), Fotis Ioannidis (Alisson Santos, 24’) e Luis Suárez. Treinador: Rui Borges. Disciplina: cartão amarelo para Iván Fresneda (43’) e Giorgi Kochorashvili (90+9’).

The coach reacts to the 1-1 draw against Gil Vicente FC

Following Sporting CP's 1-1 draw in Barcelos, coach Rui Borges gave his analysis of the match against Gil Vicente FC.

The result
"It all ends up being subjective, about the 'ifs', but we could have made it 0-2 to kill the game off and prevent Gil Vicente FC from growing in confidence. We started the second half very well, and in the first half we controlled play. Gil Vicente FC tried transitions and set pieces, where they created more danger, and we managed to break their press, but we lacked some quality. We scored from an attack that we should have tried more often, and then, in the second half, we started very well, but from the 20th minute onwards we let the game open up and Gil Vicente FC launched counter-attacks, which they are dangerous from."

The performance
"We had 64% possession and we had quality in the initial stages of the build-up, but we lacked more quality in the final third. Even more so in the first half, because in the second half we started very well and were very strong. Afterwards, we should have worn down Gil Vicente FC more, but we lost possession and allowed them to start counter-attacks, but the danger they provided was even greater from set pieces. We won't always finish our chances well, but the team were proactive."

Solutions to counter the way the opponent closed down the central areas
"The important thing was to break their initial press and establish ourselves in the opposition midfield, to force them to stay further away from our goal. We could have varied things more with longer balls instead of low passes which went through many players. That was lacking more in the first half -more than speed. The first half was less dynamic, the second half was better, but within what was asked of us, the team had a good game. We were penalised by what happened in the final part of the game."

The many players out
"It's not an excuse. We could have made it 0-2 and then we would be talking about something else, but we didn't manage to do that. We let a team who are having a great season believe in their chances until the end, at home. The sending-off affected the game and made the opposition believe even more. I'm not going to lament the players who were missing. I want everyone available, of course, and it was important, but the team fought well and had quality. There's no point in thinking about who's not here. I'm already thinking about the game against Vitória SC in the Taça da Liga, because I don't have Inácio due to his sending off and we don't have defenders available."

The effect of the draw on the top of the table
"Last year we had an eight-point advantage and dropped down to second place. There's a long way to go and we're only focused on what we can control and do."

Points lost late on against SC Braga and Gil Vicente FC
"These are two specific games. Here we were down to ten men and Gil Vicente FC, in those following minutes, grew in strength and deserved to get the draw, while we were still organising ourselves. With SC Braga it was a penalty, a move in the area. We ended up being penalised, but that's the nature of the game."

Gil Vicente FC score late to share the spoils

In their first game of 2026, Sporting CP drew 1-1 with Gil Vicente FC in Liga Portugal, as Luís Suárez' first half goal was cancelled out by a late equaliser from the home side.

At the Estádio Cidade de Barcelos, they faced a Gil Vicente FC team that occupied a surprising fourth place in the league, on 28 points and coming into the game off the back of four consecutive draws. Rui Borges fielded largely the same lineup as had beaten Rio Ave FC 4-0, bringing back Iván Fresneda after suspension and including Matheus Reis in place of the injured Ricardo Mangas.

Whilst Sporting CP quickly took control, monopolising possession, the first sign of danger came from the opposition, as a surprise shot from Gustavo Varela forced Rui Silva to stretch and tip the ball over for a corner.

At the other end, Fotis Ioannidis sent an effort over the bar, before Gil Vicente settled into the game with an organisation and intensity which made it difficult for Sporting CP to break through the fourth-best defence in the league.

Goalscoring opportunities only arose very close to the end of the first half, with Gil Vicente's Tidjany Touré troubling Rui Silva after a free kick, followed by the opening strike of the game. From near the halfway line, Eduardo Quaresma created space for Luis Suárez to go through on goal, and he slid a shot through goalkeeper Andrew Ventura's legs to make it 15 league goals for the season for him.

Sporting CP went into the second half in the lead, but also received bad news, as captain Morten Hjulmand picked up his fifth yellow card of the campaign, and will therefore be unavailable for the next game.

The second half was much more eventful, and began in absolutely frantic fashion. Andrew Ventura was kept busy with two well-aimed shots from Maxi Araújo and Francisco Trincão, and also denied Luis Suárez with his foot. The Colombian then shot low across the face of goal, with his effort going just wide of the post.

Gil Vicente FC had another header from Touré met by Rui Silva, as they continued to put a steady stream of balls into the box.

As the final ten minutes approached, Sporting CP were reduced to ten men after Gonçalo Inácio was sent off. The referee considered that the centre back was the last man and had grabbed Varela illegally, showing him a straight red card.

Rui Borges, who had moments before brought on Hidemasa Morita and Alisson Santos, had to make another substitution, and opted for B team player Rômulo Jr. to make his debut for the first team.

From the resulting free kick, a deflected shot went just over the crossbar. Then came the equaliser for the home team, in the 87th minute. After numerous attempted crosses, Gil Vicente FC's tactic paid off, with Carlos Eduardo heading in to level.

The damage could have been even greater shortly after, were it not for Rui Silva's decisive save from former Sporting CP winger Joelson Fernandes.

Whilst there was a final opportunity off a header from Hjulmand following a corner, the score remained 1-1 at full time.

Next up is a trip to Leiria to compete in the Taça da Liga Final Four. Sporting CP will face Vitória SC in the semi-final, scheduled for Tuesday, January 6th.

Sporting CP: Rui Silva [GR], Iván Fresneda, Eduardo Quaresma, Gonçalo Inácio, Matheus Reis (Alisson Santos, 78’), Morten Hjulmand [C], João Simões (Hidemasa Morita, 78’), Maxi Araújo, Francisco Trincão, Fotis Ioannidis (Rômulo Jr, 84’), Luis Suárez

The coach talks about the first game of 2026

2026 begins with Sporting CP back in action on Friday, facing Gil Vicente FC in the opening match of Liga Portugal Matchday 17.

Coach Rui Borges previewed the match in a press conference before the away trip.

Wishes for 2026
“I ask for good health for myself and my family, it's the only thing I always ask for. As for the rest, happiness comes from the little things. If we have our loved ones on our side and they are well, everything is fine. As for what we want for May, that requires work and, with good health, we will do everything to get it.”

The opponents and their approach
“They are a team who are having an extraordinary season. They broke their club's points record and are very organised at all times during games. They have some relatively identifiable dynamics, but they are very intense, especially at home. They vary in terms of pressing, which is sometimes higher and at other times uses a medium block waiting for the right moment to press, so we believe that the game will vary a little in that regard. I believe they will maintain a medium block. With the ball they are ambitious and have strong players in 1 vs.1 situations. They have attackers with very good characteristics, dynamic midfielders and a physically strong defensive line as well, so they are a balanced team and it's a difficult game."

The possible departure of Pablo, Gil Vicente FC's top scorer
“For us, the coaching staff, it doesn't change anything. Pablo has just returned to action and Varela has been playing, so it could be him who is playing. They are different players, but have their own qualities. They are a team who know very well what they have to do, and we are more focused on their collective performance. We'll have to be very focused."

Injuries
"Salvador Blopa is also out due to injury."

A need to go into the transfer market
"No, my need is to recover those who can't contribute just yet, and those who are away at the African Cup of Nations. If everyone is available, I'm happy with what I have. This way, we have more solutions and resources for our way of playing. If we add someone, it will always be from a perspective looking to the future, and not because of current absences. I'm focused on the entire squad being motivated; everyone is important, everyone will have opportunities and they have to deliver, and that's what has been happening."

His three wishes at a sporting level
"Very honestly, I don't know how to answer that. For now, it's to continue at Sporting CP, because I'm very happy here. We want to be part of Sporting CP's history and fight for every competition we're involved in. We know we won't always win, but that doesn't mean we'll stop being a great team. My wish is for good health to do what I love most, where I am now."

Comparisons between Viktor Gyökeres and Luis Suárez
“They are different and bring different things to the team. Viktor made history at Sporting CP and in Portuguese football, and I believe Luis will also make his mark on the club and in our league. I'm lucky to have been able to work with both of them -and also with Fotis. Luis and Fotis bring many things to the collective and to the dynamics that we wanted -and that are more in line with our coaching staff's outlook.”

The best team in Portugal
“For me, the best team is always mine. My players are always the best, even if they were in 15th or 16th place. In terms of points, the best team currently is FC Porto, because they are in first place. I never take away merit from those who are ahead of us, and it is necessary to respect that, but I always look at my team as the best.”

Precautions due to the intense run of games approaching
“I haven't asked for any precautions. The players know the responsibility they have; they are professional players and they know what they can and cannot do. They know that tomorrow we have an important game ahead of us and that a demanding month is coming, in which we'll be playing every three days. It will be a demanding month and a half in terms of games, with some absences.”

SL Benfica's role in the title race
“I think they are contenders. Last season, we didn't have a ten-point lead, but we were eight points ahead of second place and they recovered the gap. There are many games left, there are different patches of form for the teams and there are still many points to play for. In football, I've seen a lot happen. The margin for error is smaller, FC Porto are having a great first half to the season, and we have to do our part and wait for the season to unfold.”