The coach reviews the win away to CD Santa Clara

Rui Borges gave a press conference room at the Estádio São Miguel Stadium after Sporting CP's 0-1 victory over CD Santa Clara.

Analysis of the game
"Sporting CP were the only team that tried to win. It was a difficult first half, against a team playing with a low block. I didn't feel like they were looking for the win, but rather waiting for our mistakes. We had to create depth and variations, and we could have shot more often. In the second half we started very well, after adjusting some of our behaviours. We started much more dynamic and active, looking for the goal, and we got there with merit and ease. We could have scored another goal, and I think we deserved to.

CD Santa Clara committed a lot of fouls, which disrupted the game, but in the second half we were more competitive in the duels and this was noticeable. I'm really happy with the team's talent; they're amazing."

Halftime changes
"We played with two midfielders: One converted and more defensive, and Morten [Hjulmand], who ended up being a number 6. Pedro Gonçalves and [Hidemasa] Morita are players who get into other areas and who we needed.

At halftime I asked Zeno [Debast], who is not an offensive player, to move into higher spaces, and that way we created more between the lines, we pushed Geny [Catamo] into the inner spaces and that's how we scored the goal. We made decisions earlier, were cleaner and with less pressure, and we were more effective."

The performance in the first half
"The performance was good, at a difficult ground and against a team having a great season. CD Santa Clara were the only team to win at the Estádio José Alvalade, and with the fewest shots conceded in Liga Portugal.

We knew that we would have few opportunities -and that the few we had, we had to take advantage of. Against low blocks we have to be competent, not make big displays of scoring. We were aware of what the game demands, we kept a clean sheet, we won 1-0 and the victory is more than deserved."

Maxi Araújo and Iván Fresneda's introductions into the starting lineup
"Maxi Araújo and Fresneda came on to force the verticality, but the wind really hindered our initial strategy. The idea was to try to use more width, get crosses in, and we tried on three or four occasions to make long passes that always came out too strong, despite the well-made movements.

In the second half we adjusted, with one more man closer to the finishing zone, and created more accelerations close to the opponent's area."

The return of Pedro Gonçalves
"I'm happy for him. He deserves it, as he has worked hard and waited a long time for this return. It's a very important comeback, because he's a different player, but also it's a big thing for the group because of the importance he has to his teammates."

In a young team it is important to have competitive players who demand the best from their teammates all the time. He is a player who wants more and more. I'm happy to see him back on the pitch and our football also deserves him back on the pitch," he added.

Sporting CP win 0-1 away from home

Sporting Clube de Portugal beat CD Santa Clara 0-1 in the Azores on Liga Portugal Matchday 29. Geny Catamo's solitary goal was enough for the team to earn three important points on the road.

At the Estádio São Miguel, coach Rui Borges opted for a starting lineup with two changes: Maxi Araújo and Iván Fresneda returned to the XI in place of Matheus Reis and Geovany Quenda.

On a typical spring afternoon in the Azores archipelago, with radiant sun, after an intense and unexpected period of rain, Sporting CP took over possession early in the game, but without creating any real chances. So much so that the first shot on target in the game ended up being from the home team, who troubled Rui Silva after just six minutes: Daniel Borges won a second ball and shot across goal, with the effort going just wide.

Rui Borges' men tried to break through the organised defence, with little success, but found it difficult to get into the final third. On 21 minutes, Francisco Trincão and Viktor Gyökeres showed good understanding in the central channel, but collided with the wall created by the opposition. On 24 minutes, it was Geny Catamo who appeared on the left, without being able to get a cross in.

The clock ticked down without any significant moves in a very tactical first half, until in the 37th minute Zeno Debast took an excellent free kick from far out, forcing Gabriel Batista to make a good save.

The move ‘woke up’ Os Leões, who soon after benefited from another set piece. This time, the Belgian shot from the left flank and Catamo appeared to head the ball wide of the mark. Afterwards, Vinícius Lopes forced Rui Silva to make a difficult save at the other end, and Trincão struck just wide of the post.

The game would not go into halftime without another attempt by Catamo, who was denied by the Azorean goalkeeper.

With no changes for the second half, Sporting CP came out active, but it was CD Santa Clara who came closest to scoring in the 48th minute: MT got free at the far post and headed the ball outside the upright.

Finally, Sporting CP broke the deadlock through Catamo in the 50th minute. After an excellent run by Francisco Trincão, he came in from the right of the area and, with a low cross-shot, found the net. With seven goals this campaign, the Mozambican has surpassed his tally from last season.

Ten minutes later, he made another move on the right, left an opponent in his wake and crossed into the box, but no one, other than Gabriel Batista, was able to get on the end of it.

In the 64th minute, after an excellent run by Debast, Fresneda crossed straight onto Gyökeres' right foot, but the Swede's powerful shot hit the crossbar.

Soon after, Rui Borges introduced Geovany Quenda and Jeremiah St. Juste, and Sporting CP came very close to scoring the second goal. In the 68th minute, Debast's free kick crossed the entire defensive line and Ousmane Diomande appeared at the edge of the area to extend the lead. However, VAR intervened, signalling an offside position for the Ivorian defender.

Stronger in individual duels and without conceding space, Sporting CP managed to stop the opponents' pressure in the second half, and Rui Silva became more of a spectator.

In the 77th minute, Conrad Harder came on, and a minute later Quenda tried to set the Dane through, but his cross was too powerful and went straight out of play.

One of the game's greatest moments came in the 87th minute, as after many months out, Pedro Gonçalves made his long-awaited return to competition.

After the start of injury time, Gabriel Silva came very close to equalising, but his shot from far away went just wide of the post and Sporting CP held on, securing a hard-fought but fair victory.

Sporting CP: Rui Silva [GK], Zeno Debast, Viktor Gyökeres, Francisco Trincão (Pedro Gonçalves, 87’), Maxi Araújo (Matheus Reis, 87’), Geny Catamo (Conrad Harder, 77’), Iván Fresneda (Geovany Quenda, 66’), Gonçalo Inácio, Ousmane Diomande, Morten Hjulmand [C] and Eduardo Quaresma (Jeremiah St. Juste, 66’).

The coach speaks on the eve of the trip to CD Santa Clara

Sporting Clube de Portugal play this Saturday, at 6pm in the Azores, against CD Santa Clara.

In the pre-match press conference for the Liga Portugal Matchday 29 game, coach Rui Borges highlighted Sporting CP's desire to win the title for a second consecutive season and confirmed that Pedro Gonçalves could play.

Condolences for the passing of Aurelio Pereira
“First of all, I would like to express my condolences to the family and friends of Mr. Aurélio, who was a very important person not only at Sporting CP, but in Portuguese football. He paved the way in terms of scouting, for finding and developing several great players.”

CD Santa Clara
“It will be a difficult game, on a difficult pitch, against a team who are having a great season, who are very competitive, very well organised, and one of the teams that allow the fewest shots to the opposition. They are very strong and very aggressive in transition, and the team that commits the most fouls in the division. This shows how competitive CD Santa Clara are in this sense. They have very strong players, especially in the final third, where they can create imbalances at any moment. Therefore, we have to be prepared, and be aware that we have to be very competitive to face this team. Then, of course, we have to continue to be how we have been: A Sporting CP with calmness, ability, individual quality and, at times, collective quality, to be better than CD Santa Clara.”

Conrad Harder
“For me, it’s a non-issue. I could have used other words to say what I wanted to say about him, but it was never in a critical tone. It was in the course of the questions in which I was just justifying, at that moment, why he came on as a winger, which is not his position. At that moment we needed players who could keep the ball, calm the game down more, and he is a player who is more of a transitional player, with intensity and speed. My words were never in a critical tone, even though I could have used other words. His reaction was good, normal, and he's been training happily. I had a conversation with him, but he knows his coach well, he knows what the coach thinks and wants from him, and I have affection for him and for everyone else.

Losing the top spot
“I'm a highly motivated coach and very confident about the final stretch of the season. In three and a half months, this was the first time we had lost the lead, so I would never think otherwise. I'm very optimistic and confident about the future and the team as well. We are in the fight for the title and it is down to us alone.”

The second half against SC Braga
“SC Braga had one shot on target in the second half, which was for their goal, and in the first half they had another. Possession is very subjective. I think we are the team with the second most possession in the league, and in the Rui Borges era the average is around 53/54%. We are the team that have the most shots on target, allow the fewest shots from the opposition, are the most efficient in passing, and are the second or third team in terms of the most defensive actions in the attacking midfield. I think that reflects the breakdowns in the second half.”

Players that give him comfort
“All of the Sporting CP players give me comfort. As I said, they have been fantastic in terms of their behaviour and commitment, and they were the same against SC Braga. We were much better in the first half, putting a lot of pressure on them, but it’s normal that we didn’t have 90 minutes with that intensity, especially since we were coming off a Taça de Portugal semifinal where several players played the full 90 minutes. Regarding our finishing, we need to get more shots on target and score more goals. We’ve had a lot of shots and we did in the last game too, but that’s part of it. I tell the players to make a lot of mistakes; they do that, and I take the blame for all of my players’ mistakes, whether they are defensively or offensively.

Pedro Goncalves and Hidemasa Morita
“Pote has been called up for the squad, but we will see to what extent he can contribute to the team and for how long. He has been out for a long time and will have to be managed well by everyone. (...) Morita has not been included.”

Retaining the title
“My goal is to be national champions. (...) After everything we have been through, as I have said, the players have responded fantastically. There is nothing to criticise them for. They are well aware of the goal and are committed to the objective, which is to be two-time champions. (...) We have been under pressure since the first matchday. We have lost first place, but it is still down to ourselves and we will be completely focused until the end.”

The Sporting CP coach reacts to the 1-1 draw with SC Braga

After the 1-1 draw between Sporting Clube de Portugal and SC Braga, coach Rui Borges gave a press conference to talk about the contest.

Analysis of the game
"Nothing changes. Our ambition is the same. It's a result that we neither wanted nor expected. We had chances to have made it 2-0. We didn't manage to and were penalised for it. We started very well, and SC Braga rebalanced the game without creating any danger. In the second half, we started very badly, and we were apathetic and reactive. We allowed SC Braga to gain confidence, but then we balanced the game out until the equaliser, which came when the game was completely under control. We had several opportunities to finish the game off and increase the scoreline, and were punished for not taking them with the game almost over."

Substitutions
"Conrad Harder's late entry into the game was an option. Zeno Debast came off because he was very tired. We tried to hold on a little longer, but it wasn't possible anymore."

Change of position in the table
"It's not the same being in first or second place, but it doesn't change our approach. To be champions, we had to win our games. The margin of error has decreased, but we continue to depend on ourselves and our thought of winning the next game doesn't change. We will turn our focus to CD Santa Clara and remain focused."

The fans' reaction
"It's part of things. It's a sign of the pressure on me and on all of us. I understand that they are frustrated, like we are. We really wanted to win, but we didn't do it. The team have the makings of champions, because if we didn't, we wouldn't have been in first place until now."

The strategy
"In the first 30 minutes we were clearly the better side, and the team were 100 percent focused. We knew very well where we had to look for spaces to be able to get into the final third. When we started to feel some difficulty in terms of tiredness, we let SC Braga grow in possession and we started to make bad decisions. It had a lot to do with fatigue, because strategically we were fine."

Fatigue
"There were three or four players who were feeling it physically, that's no excuse for the result. Fatigue is part of the game and we have to be able to deal with it. It's natural that we can't press for 90 minutes."

Os Leões draw 1-1 at home with SC Braga

Sporting Clube de Portugal drew 1-1 in their Monday night fixture at home to SC Braga in Liga Portugal. Viktor Gyökeres scored the opening goal for Os Leões with a free kick in the first half.

At a sold-out Estádio José Alvalade, Rui Borges made three changes from the starting lineup fielded against Rio Ave FC, leaving Jeremiah St. Juste, Iván Fresneda and Maxi Araújo on the bench to bring in Gonçalo Inácio, Geovany Quenda and Matheus Reis.

Sporting CP were the better side and put the ball in the net from one of their first attacks, but the goal was disallowed for offside. Gyökeres was denied by just a three-centimetre margin.

Geny Catamo then fired a shot over the bar and Gyökeres had an effort saved by Lukáš Horníček. Amine El Ouazzani timidly responded for SC Braga with a strike of his own, but Rui Silva made a calm save.

Gyökeres did get his goal, and it took just 15 minutes or him to open the scoring. He had the opportunity from a direct free kick, and decided to smash the ball low, out of the reach of the goalkeeper and inside the post. It was another phenomenal goal, and the 44th of the season for the Swedish hitman -his 31st in the league.

In response, SC Braga advanced their lines and began to get closer to the Sporting CP area, although without creating any danger. From distance, Uroš Račić tried his luck with one of his side's rare attacks of note, but his shot went wide.

It was Sporting CP who came closest to scoring again before the break, in the 37th minute: A ball stolen by Gyökeres led to him advancing into the area and releasing off his foot for a miraculous save by Lukáš Horníček using his head.

Before the interval, Rodrigo Zalazar hit a powerful shot that was well saved by Rui Silva, taking the game into half time with the score at 1-0.

SC Braga returned from the break with the idea of shooting from distance, and had attempts such as Zalazar's shot wide in the 52nd minute. Sporting CP managed to react shortly after, when Quenda, following a clever move by Catamo, drew a another save from Horníček. Off the rebound, Gyökeres missed the target.

In the 63rd minute, Zeno Debast swerved a free kick into the side netting and, shortly after, SC Braga had one of their best chances: A free kick from the right ended up with the ball in the middle of the area, causing confusion and danger, but none of the visiting side's players finished the opportunity.

On the counterattack, Sporting CP once again went forward, and Gyökeres, set up by Catamo, shot over the bar.

In 73rd minute, Rui Borges made his first two substitutions - Maxi Araújo and Eduardo Felicíssimo came on, with Geny Catamo and Zeno Debast withdrawn.

Another good chance went Sporting CP's way, as Quenda recovered possession and passed to Francisco Trincão, whose attack was blocked by Horníček.

SC Braga's goalkeeper saved his team further when he denied Araújo, who had appeared from the left and shot across goal.

Horníček needed to stop from Trincão with ten minutes to go, and the Portuguese international dragged wide in another opportunity moments later.

Amidst this onslaught, SC Braga equalised in the 87th minute, thanks to a header from Afonso Patrão.

Before the end, Conrad Harder came on to replace Matheus Reis and SC Braga's João Moutinho was sent off for a second yellow card, but the result did not change further.

Os Leões will play again next Saturday, heading to the Azores to face CD Santa Clara.

Sporting CP: Rui Silva [GK], Eduardo Quaresma, Ousmane Diomande, Gonçalo inácio, Geovany Quenda, Morten Hjulmand [C], Zeno Debast (Eduardo Felicíssimo, 73'), Matheus Reis (Conrad Harder, 90'), Francisco Trincão, Geny Catamo (Maxi Araújo, 73') and Viktor Gyökeres.

Sporting CP host SC Braga this Monday at 8:45 pm local time

Sporting Clube de Portugal have a Monday fixture against SC Braga on Liga Portugal Matchday 28, and coach Rui Borges spoke to the media ahead of the game.

SC Braga
"I think we will encounter the best SC Braga side of the season; a team who have grown in confidence and form. In the last ten games, they have eight wins, one draw and one defeat, and have only two away defeats this season. They are the team that, after Sporting CP, I think, get the most points away from home. They have been growing in the last few games, have been able to bring back in some important players, and you can clearly notice the difference in terms of their confidence and quality. Therefore, we expect a strong SC Braga, who want to win and are motivated. However, above all we'll see a Sporting CP who are very confident and with a very competitive attitude. I believe it will be a good game between two great teams, with both sides wanting to win. We will have to be very competitive, as we have been."

The game between FC Porto and SL Benfica putting pressure on Sporting CP
"The pressure has been there for a long time. It comes with trying to win the remaining games, one by one. That's our pressure, to win and become champions. It is only down to us and there couldn't be better pressure for us. None of us care about the other results. Our total focus is on our game, which will be difficult, against a great team."

Missed scoring opportunities
"It's natural for you to question things, but I don't worry about any of that. We have scored several goals and created a lot of chances in the last few games. It's normal that sometimes we don't manage to score so many goals, but I'm happy with the team's attitude, how they are intense and are creating goalscoring situations. If that wasn't the case, I would be worried. It happens with other teams too; no one wins that easily and there aren't easy games. I feel the team growing at every moment of the game and that makes me confident for the matches we have left this season.”

The most important matchday in this final stretch of the season
"There will still be a Clássico, a game between first and second, whoever it is, in the penultimate round of fixtures. It's an important matchday with good games, and everyone can drop points, but I'm just focused on our game. Don't expect me to say that I want any one side to win, I just want to win our game. That's what I can control. And if we're competitive, like I said, it's still up to us. The most important game is ours. If we win, we are first, whatever happens. I'm not going to talk about the opponents. For them the most important game will be theirs and for us ours. We only depend on ourselves, so our game is the most important."

What Zeno Debast gives in midfield
"He adds what he has added already. He is a dynamic player, he has grown, he is better, more intense and aggressive and he will give us that thing that his technical quality gives us. Everyone recognises that and he feels confident because of that. He will grow a lot and do well as a midfielder, but I will never forget that he is centre back, even though he is available, confident and does things very well".

Pedro Gonçalves and Hidemasa Morita's availability
“The forecast for Pote remains a ten-day period, which I had already said, and Morita is out of the game.”

The Sporting CP coach looks at the win over Rio Ave FC

After Sporting CP’s 2-0 home victory against Rio Ave FC in the first leg of the Taça de Portugal semi-finals, coach Rui Borges analysed the match in a press conference.

The analysis of the game
"I'm satisfied with the team's display of confidence and commitment, from the beginning to the end of the game. It was a dangerous game against a team in a moment of transition. We couldn't lose focus for a minute and the team remained switched on until the end. I was satisfied with the second half, where we demonstrated enormous ambition, as we weren't satisfied with the 2-0 scoreline. We wanted more. Clearly we could have left here with another result and we could have had the tie even further in our favour. I’m happy with the quality the team had throughout the game.”

His conversation with Trincão
"He's tired (laughs). He's a player with a lot of minutes under his belt, and here and there you notice that fatigue, but he's a player who can decide the game at any moment. He had some chances to finish off, but he wasn't able to get what he deserved, especially for what he gives to the team. He told me that he feels good and is ready for the end of the season."

Fielding St. Juste in the starting XI
"He had been almost always a starter since I arrived, until he got injured. Today he played a good 60 minutes and that's the St. Juste we always want. He went off because he had been out for a while, but he gave a huge response and is another player who has our full confidence."

Sporting CP being the team with the most penalties called in Portugal
"It's a sign that we have more actions in the opposition area and they are more exposed to making fouls. We have players with a lot of technical quality and strength."

The option of three centre backs
"The initial formation is worth what it's worth, because within the strategy we adapt our movement to give the team more comfort. The team are growing in terms of confidence and in some behaviours, and this is seen in the game. The level of ambition has been enormous since we arrived and perhaps that's why we are at the top of the table."

Gyökeres' perfect penalty conversion rate
"He practices that, like anything else. He's a player who, above all, is focused and looks at every detail. He wants to improve in everything, he's competitive and never rests. I'm running out of objectives for Viktor to reach. He's different, and he's the best player in the country."

Debast's evolution in midfield
"It has been a successful change. He has made a phenomenal response and has grown from game to game at all levels: in decision-making, in defensive terms, in his positioning. With his technical quality, adapting some behaviours, he has become more intense and aggressive. He can be a wonderful midfielder."

Wanting more goals
"I feel like they're increasingly focused on this month and a half, on winning all the competitions possible. The game went as expected, but of course I would have been happier if we had scored more goals, because we had chances to score them. We created that goal before the break and the ambition was very evident. They deserved it for wanting to score more."

The chance to make history with a double
"It's not easy, but above all I see that the players are focused. They have shown a huge display of focus, ambition and desire. We are top of the table and one small step away from being in a cup final. But more than thinking about a month and a half from now, we have to think about Monday's game, which is the next one up. That's how we have made this long journey and I believe, since the day I arrived, that it can be happy and beautiful in the end".

Geny Catamo's position on the left of the attack
"A player can never be stuck in one position. He plays well there and a player can't be stuck doing just one thing, otherwise he won't grow and will only do that. This is his position, as a winger, and he plays both inside and outside. Will he make mistakes? He will, but that's the only way he will grow. I have to have the ability to help him be better. That goes not only for Geny but for Quenda too, who can also play on the left, where he had great games when we arrived. He has already been sold to Chelsea FC and I have no doubt that he was signed as a winger”.

The most consistent performance
"It was a good game. We also had a good game in Vila do Conde, which was one of the best, but perhaps in terms of consistency in the 90 minutes this was the most consistent. I think so.”

Two goals at home provide an advantage over Rio Ave FC

Back at the Estádio José Alvalade for the first time in almost three weeks Sporting Clube de Portugal beat Rio Ave FC 2-0 in the first leg of their Taça de Portugal semifinal. Goals from Geny Catamo and Viktor Gyökeres handed the team the advantage in the tie, and made it six consecutive victories.

Sporting CP made four changes in relation to the XI that beat CF Estrela da Amadora at home in the previous game. Maxi Araújo and Morten Hjulmand returned from suspension, and Jeremiah St. Juste and Catamo were also brought in, as Matheus left Reis, Gonçalo Inácio, Geovany Quenda and Eduardo Felicíssimo would begin the game on the bench. Hidemasa Morita and Pedro Gonçalves remained out through injury, as did Nuno Santos, Daniel Bragança and João Simões.

The opening to the game required patience and a lot of possession, up against the visitors' compact block, but Sporting CP did not have to wait long for their first goal. On 12 minutes, following a corner, the ball went to the edge of the area and Catamo struck with his left foot -giving Sporting CP the lead and the Mozambican his sixth goal of the season.

Rio Ave FC tried to respond with long shots from Clayton and André Luiz, but it was Sporting CP, by activating Gyökeres, who came very close to doubling their lead. Firstly, an effort was cleared at the last second, then Rio Ave FC goalkeeper Cezary Miszta got the better of the forward after he had regained the ball high up the pitch.

Two promising shots – from Trincão and from Gyökeres - were then smothered by the defenders, but just before the break Sporting CP made it 2-0. Catamo was brought down in the area, and Gyökeres converted the penalty with a panenka. It was his 43rd goal of the campaign, equalling his tally from 2023/24.

A third goal should have come as soon as the second half got underway, but Trincão could not finish off a well-worked play and shot over. About ten minutes later, Catamo also had a great opportunity, as he was served up the ball by Gyökeres from a skillful dribble, but he struck poorly and did not convert the chance.

Gyökeres made yet another sprint, and slammed a piledriver of a shot into the post, before coach Rui Borges made a triple substitution and brought on Matheus Reis, Geovany Quenda and Eduardo Felicíssimo for St. Juste, Iván Fresneda and Hjulmand.

In one of the visitors' rare forays into the attack in the second half, substitute Tiago Morais shot from distance at Rui Silva, who had little trouble containing the effort.

Os Leões continued to attack in search of an increasingly deserved third goal, but had both a hit over by Trincão shot again and a Catamo goal disallowed by VAR for offside.

Before the final whistle, Conrad Harder came on and immediately smashed an attempt wide, Maxi Araújo saw his touch blocked as the ball was heading towards goal, then Gyökeres did everything right but shot just wide.

Quenda had the final chance, but his hit from outside the area ended up in the hands of Miszta and the game ended 2-0.

The second leg of this tie is scheduled for April 22nd in Paços de Ferreira, at the Estádio Capital do Móvel, and not in Vila do Conde. Before that, Sporting CP turn their focus back to Liga Portugal, with an important game against SC Braga this Monday.

Sporting CP: Rui Silva [GK], Iván Fresneda (Geovany Quenda, 64’), Eduardo Quaresma, Ousmane Diomande, Jeremiah St. Juste (Matheus Reis, 64’), Maxi Araújo, Morten Hjulmand [C] (Eduardo Felicíssimo, 64’), Zeno Debast, Francisco Trincão (Conrad Harder, 79’), Geny Catamo (Biel Teixeira, 88’), Viktor Gyökeres.

The coach talks about the Taça de Portugal semifinals

Sporting Clube de Portugal host Rio Ave FC this Thursday in the Taça de Portugal semifinals. Coach Rui Borges previewed the game ahead in a press conference on Wednesday.

The semifinals
"It's a two-legged tie and the focus is solely on winning. We want to win, and we have to keep in mind that these will be two difficult games. Rio Ave FC certainly want to be in the final of the Taça de Portugal and will definitely come into the match very motivated. These are different games to league fixtures, because they dictate who will get into a final. They will compete to the fullest on every move, giving everything to get to the final.

We will do exactly the same thing. We want to win and the opposition cannot be more motivated than us. It will be a very competitive tie and nothing will be resolved in just one game. We have to play both games with the same rigor, ambition and concentration, but tomorrow in front of our fans we want to win."

Confidence in the team
"I have always maintained the same line: I have a huge ambition to win the league and to be able to win a cup final. For that to happen we have to overcome Rio Ave FC in this semi-final. The optimism is the same, our confidence is growing and the team has spoken for me and grown in terms of the quality of our play.

I'm very confident in the response that the team have been able to provide, in terms of their competitivity and consistency with our strategy and results. Therefore, I'm really confident for what will be the final stretch of the league and cup."

Possible rotations
"We really want to be in the final. We know that it will be difficult to overcome Rio Ave FC and we cannot think about keeping anything in reserve. There may be one or two changes, in terms of strategy, but we will approach the game very seriously. The focus is always the same for any game.

If I ask the players if they want to rest tomorrow and play on Monday, they'll kill me (laughs). Regardless of whether we play SC Braga in our next game and SL Benfica plays away at FC Porto, the title will be decided right at the end. We have to be focused on the next game and on being present in the final of the cup."

A possible final
"More than thinking about playing SL Benfica – and we have to respect FC Tirsense too – we have to think that we really want to win the cup, regardless of the opponent."

Possible future reinforcements
"I'm not going to say the name because it's difficult (laughs). Kochorashvili was a player identified by the club some time ago and who as a technical committee we had already observed at other times. He's a competitive player, with goals, technical quality... We believe he will add a lot and be an asset for Sporting CP. The club had the opportunity to guarantee his purchase now, and I'm happy about that.

We had also identified Alisson in January and there was no opportunity to bring him in then, but we closed the deal now, with a view to his future and growth.

In January, no one lets players leave, especially clubs fighting to move up the division, so it was difficult to close deals at that time."

Absences
"Morita is out of the game with Rio Ave FC and Pedro Gonçalves is too. I believe that in the next ten days he will be able to return; that's not the doctor saying this though, it's me who evaluates the day to day situation. I believe he will be close to making his contribution to the team.

If he were available, he would play, whether it was a lot or a little time, because of everything he gives to the team. We have missed him and I believe he will be very important in the final stretch of the season, if everything goes well."

His formation
"The goalkeepers don't know who's playing, so I'm not going to say anything here either (laughs).

Somehow, I have adapted to the moment at Sporting CP; To insist on something we really want, we have to have time and players available. Unfortunately we didn't have any of that and therefore we had to adapt.

Nevertheless, we often create in threes, so the formation is subjective. We have defended with a 4-4-2 in many games. Overall, the system doesn't deviate much from what we want, but at this stage, more than creating discomfort, we want to create trust in the group. We don't have much time to train, so we adapt one thing or another as we can. Above all, I want to feel the team grow in terms of confidence and energy."

The coach reviews the win over Estrela da Amadora

Rui Borges reacted to Sporting CP's 0-3 victory at CF Estrela da Amadora in his post-match press conference, after another comprehensive display from his team.

Analysis of the match
"We controlled the game from start to finish: When it was 11 vs. 11, 11 vs. 10 and 11 vs. 9. We started well and could have scored early on. After 20 minutes, CF Estrela da Amadora managed to slow down the game .

"After the sending off, and with the opposition playing with lower lines, the ball had to move faster, but we weren't able to do that. We had to create width, create one-on-one situations and take advantage of micro-superiorities in spaces. We changed that at half-time, with the introduction of Geny Catamo, a player who gives us the ability to accelerate out with the ball. He had a great game.

After we made it 0-1,we had several chances to score the second. We controlled the game and the goals started coming naturally. At a difficult ground, against a competitive team, we felt at home. Our fans made us feel that, as they are with us no matter what. It was very important for the team to feel this energy from the outside."

Killing off the game
"After the first goal we created opportunities to make it 0-2, but we couldn't finish them right away. Above all, it was important for the team to be focused on the defensive side: CF Estrela da Amadora tried quick attacks and set pieces, which I had warned about, and we were always controlling these aspects."

Few shots in the first half
"It's going to be increasingly difficult to win games. The teams in the league are very competitive and we have to make a difference from the few opportunities we create. We weren't capable of that in the first half, but I prefer to look at the collective and the evolution of the players on an individual level. I look at [Giovany] Quenda and he's much more of a player, Zeno [Debast] is much more competitive and committed to duels for the ball since he's been playing as a midfielder. He's a very focused kid who wants to know everything in his game; he's starting to enjoy playing in the middle and it shows.

Today the whole team contributed -even those not called up. That's what makes me happy: everyone was connected. That energy is felt in our play. The team are more competitive and this affects our daily work, even with all the difficulties we have had since we arrived. We have been getting around the little obstacles that have appeared along the way and, in these final games, everything will depend on us doing our best. Sometimes it happens, sometimes it doesn't, but if we all do our best, it will come."

Few minutes for Biel
"He has worked hard to improve and fit into the team's dynamics. There are options and everyone respects them, aware that they have to do their best, being available to help the team. When we win, everyone wins, and that is very clear."