The Sporting coach admitted this Friday that the defeats of FC Porto and Sporting de Braga, in the last day of the First Football League, are an encouragement, but he warned that the lions cannot fail again.
At a press conference in Alcochete, the coach assumed that Saturday’s match, against Portimonense, “is important to maintain the sequence of [três] victories” achieved in recent games, but recalled that “lately” the team has “failed after a sequence” of victories.
“We don’t need more motivation, because we are in a place below where we should be, but [as derrotas dos rivais e a aproximação ao terceiro lugar] it has to be a stimulus for us. This is another of the moments, as it was with Boavista, with Arouca, that we had to win and we didn’t win. We have to be aware of that and win the game,” said Rúben Amorim.
In this sense, taking into account that the ‘lions’ face Arsenal on Thursday, for the Europa League, the coach has stressed that he does not save players, but rather “steals” because he has “quality players” and he has been happy to have them. More options up front, with the return of Ugarte to midfield, which he allows Pedro Gonçalves to ‘free’ to attack.
In that sector, in which Trincão “gave a lot of attention” in the last game for the goal he scored and for the increase in performance, Amorim admitted that “it’s good to have extra players” on the bench “to change the game”. and did not guarantee the title of Portuguese international.
“In the second half he scored a goal, he unblocked himself a bit and had plays that drew a lot of attention. He looked more at the global, that he did not play so well but, since each game has its history, we changed ”. the players accordingly,” he analyzed.
Still regarding the options for the attack, the ‘leonino’ coach praised Fatawu, who this week scored three goals in the club’s 5-1 victory against Ajax, in the UEFA Youth League, but recalled that it is about a category with another requirement.
“We believe that Fatawu has this ability [de desbloquear jogos] Not only here, but they have already shown it in the 3rd League and they will show it in the I League when they don’t have all the defensive tasks they have to do. I see a normal evolution, of a very talented player, who is still very young. These are good signs in the Youth League, but it’s a completely different world.”
Sporting visits Portimonense on Saturday, in a match of the 23rd round of the 1st Football League, scheduled for 6:00 p.m., at the Portimão Estádio, with Gustavo Correia (AF Porto) officiating. The game has a story in TSF and minute tracking tsf.pt
Rúben Amorim’s team won the last two games for the championship and, in the last round, benefited from the defeats of FC Porto (2-1 at home, against Gil Vicente) and Sporting de Braga (2-1 away, against Vitória de Guimarães) to get closer to the access places to the Champions League.
The ‘lions’ are now seven points behind second place, occupied by FC Porto, which gives direct access to the ‘million-dollar’ competition, and five points behind third place, occupied by Sporting de Braga, which qualifies for the competition playoffs.
Source: TSF
