The Sporting coach confirmed this Saturday, November 29th, the return of Pedro Gonçalves against Estrela da Amadora, in a match in the First Football League that is “the focus”, on the eve of clashes with Benfica and Bayern Munich.
“Oh Pote [Pedro Gonçalves] He’s called up, he’s ready to play. We will understand what we can use him for or not, so as not to expose him to things he is not yet so comfortable with, but he is ready to play, he is called up”, he said. Rui Borgesin Alcochete, during the preview of the reception for the ‘Tricolores’.
Pedro Gonçalves suffered a muscle injury during the visit to Santa Clara, on the 11th round of the championship, which ruled him out of the options of Rui Borges and Roberto Martínez, national coach, since the beginning of the month.
Therefore, Portugal’s visit to Ireland and the reception to Armenia failed, as well as Sporting’s matches against Marinhense, for the Portuguese Cup, and Club Brugge, for the Champions League.
Despite having won all the games in which the creative was absent, Borges did not deny that “the team needs him” and even recovered the player’s old words to convey “the message” to the group, which, after hosting Estrela da Amadora, on Sunday, visits Benfica, on Friday, and Bayern Munich, on December 9th.
“The message is Estrela da Amadora. That’s the message and we don’t talk about absolutely anything else, because it’s the next game. And as Pote said a few days ago, back then, our ‘Champions’ is the championship”, he reiterated.
Estrela da Amadora is a team that, despite “not starting the championship so well”, also has “qualities”.
“It is the second team with the most long balls, the third most effective in crossing”, it will “try to create some danger” and “some problems”, in addition to being a team that “also concedes few opportunities”, according to the analysis of the ‘leonino’ coach‘.
“We play at home, we want to maintain our energy and the quality of the game we have been presenting. We want to continue this and get the three points”, pointed out the national champion coach.
Finally, asked about the championship calendar until the end of the first round, announced on Saturday, by the Portuguese Professional Football League, and which, as reported during the week, having been a focus of contention between Sporting, Benfica and FC Porto, Borges did not want to “extend”.
But he recalled, however, that the ‘lions’ had already played “for the League Cup not even 48 hours after” a championship game and did not complain.
“FC Porto postponed its game [da Taça da Liga]there’s one more game now. We, back there, played our game tirelessly, changed 11 players and, fortunately, we were able to respond. It is what it is, looking at the calendar and looking at things in a positive way”, he said.
Sporting hosts Estrela da Amadora on Sunday, in a match from the 12th round of the Portuguese Football League starting at 6pm, at the José Alvalade Stadium, in Lisbon, refereed by Anzhony Rodrigues (AF Madeira).
The team led by Rui Borges is looking to gain three points to equal, in first place in the championship, the condition, FC Porto, which only enters the field, against Estoril Praia, at Estádio do Dragão, after the meeting of the ‘green and whites’.
Estrela da Amadora remains in 13th place, with 11 points from 11 games, but is coming off an away victory (5-3), against Casa Pia, and a draw at home (1-1) with Nacional.