Coach Rúben Amorim said this Sunday that Sporting’s level of demand in the Football League Cup will increase when they host Sporting de Braga, but he admitted that the team is in a good moment.
In a press conference prior to the quarterfinal match, in Alcochete, the coach acknowledged that the ‘lions’ “will find greater difficulties in this match” and also recalled the dangers of a match to be eliminated, against a rival with whom they drew 3-3 in the first round of the championship.
“EITHER [Sporting de] Braga is a very strong team, which is ahead of us in the championship, so the level will increase. It will be a very difficult game, a game to decide who goes ahead and that is always dangerous. But we learned a lot in the first game in Braga and we are a better team”, assumed the coach of the ‘green and white’.
Subsequently, Amorim played down the importance of Benfica’s elimination from the competition and focused on his team, denying that the rival’s draw in the visit to Moreirense could indicate a drop in performance and be a sign that it could change the course of the season , in which Los ‘encarnados’ lead the I Liga with a 12-point advantage over Sporting.
“I didn’t watch the game, but I’m sure that if one of the opportunities came we wouldn’t be here talking about wasting gasoline or not wasting gasoline. That doesn’t matter, the rivals, now, don’t matter”. , except Sporting de Braga, and the focus is to continue like this: not conceding goals, scoring goals, that’s the most important thing,” he shot.
Regarding the team that will face the ‘arsenalistas’ on Monday, the coach did not open the game, but revealed that Adán is back in the starting lineup, after having ‘ceded’ his position to Franco Israel against Marítimo, and that Morita joined Neto , St. Juste and Daniel Bragança are among those unavailable due to injury, but he did not reveal whether it will be Pedro Gonçalves who will take the Japanese’s place.
Finally, Amorim also referred to the departure of Fernando Santos from the technical command of the Portuguese team and said that he was “never” “surprised” by the departure of any coach, because football is like that”, although he assumed that “everyone You have to thank him for what he did”, that is, winning “the only two titles” in Portugal.
“Mr. Fernando Santos spent many years in the Federation [Portuguesa de Futebol]He won titles, he gave us a lot and then new cycles begin. He is also a part, not only of clubs, but also of national teams. The players change, the coaches change and I see the departure of a coach naturally”, commented Amorim.
Sporting will host Sporting de Braga on Monday, in a match for the quarterfinals of the Football League Cup, scheduled to start at 8:15 p.m., at the Estádio José Alvalade, in Lisbon, with arbitration by Luis Godinho (AF Evora).
The team led by Ruben Amorim qualified for the round of 16 of the competition after winning Group B with victories over Farense (6-0), Rio Ave (2-0) and Marítimo (5-0), while Braga defeated Trofense (3-0), Casa Pia (1-0) and Paços de Ferreira (2-0) in Group D.
In the I Liga, Sporting de Braga is ahead of Sporting, occupying third place, with 28 points, one behind FC Porto and nine behind Benfica, while the ‘lions’ remain in fourth place, with 25 points in the 13 days played before the final. Interruption due to the Qatar 2022 World Championship dispute.
Source: TSF
