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Borges: "We have to be very prepared and organised" 21 Aug, 2026 The coach looks at the upcoming game against FC Alverca Sporting Clube de Portugal host FC Alverca this Saturday at 8:30pm, as the Liga Portugal season reaches Matchday 3. Coach Rui Borges talked to the media before the encounter. Analysis of the opposition "The core structure of FC Alverca lies in the players who have been carried over from last season. They know each other at least minimally, and the understanding is already there. Of course, with the change of coach there are different dynamics and different ways of thinking, but they are a very competitive team, who have very strong players in attack. They have a high defensive line and are competent in aerial duels. Defensively, they operate in two systems: A 4-4-2 or a 5-4-1, or even a somewhat hybrid 5-3-2. Taking these dynamics into account, we know how to exploit and take advantage of the spaces, and also how to remain balanced to stop their transitions. They are strong players in one-on-one situations, are fast, are intense, and have a very dynamic midfield in offensive terms. Despite everything, FC Alverca are one of the teams that have had the most shots on target so far, with around 30 shots from the two games. Therefore, we have to be very prepared for when we lose the ball, and so that in moments that require defensive organisation, with the highest block, we don't let them enter into transitions. I believe we will be prepared for the game." Pedro Gonçalves and Daniel Bragança "They have trained with the team, they are here with the group and are Sporting CP players." Interest in Geny Catamo "At Sporting CP, our players are wanted by several clubs and they have to be able to deal with that. As a coach, I have to know how to help them stay well-balanced emotionally. The market is moving along, but I am focused on the day-to-day work and on Geny's response to our work. He has been working very well, he has been playing well, and he is completely focused on Sporting CP." Doubts about the attacking line for Saturday "Fotis [Ioannidis] will be doubtful until the day of the game. He has a problem between his rib cage and lower back. [Luis] Suárez has been training well, he's improving his fitness and is looking for his best form, and he'll have to respond -whether he starts or plays for twenty minutes." The transfer market "We are happy with our squad. We believe that with time we will grow. There have been changes in important positions, and it takes some time and some patience, but we knew this would happen. I'm really confident." Gaining confidence "Above all, we need to win. More than suffering in the second half, or in the final part of the game, we need to understand how we conceded the goals. If we analyse it, it's simple. We have to improve a lot in terms of our balance and dealing with individual approaches – which was mostly the case in those four goals conceded – and grow. Now, growing means winning. We know that with the demand at Sporting CP, winning isn't enough. We want to play well, just like the fans want us to do. We are used to a beautiful style, with good collective and individual play. We also want that very much now, but above all we need to grow. The confidence of everyone will be gained over time and I have no doubt that this will happen." Giorgi Kochorashvili's departure "I wish Gio the best of luck. He worked very hard for us, but he had one or two injuries that hampered his contribution to the team. He is a player who always respected the options we had, always gave his best, and I wish him all the best." Loss of control in second halves "The team have changed a lot; the players are different. Adaptation is needed, understanding how to better manage the games. My biggest concern in the last game, more than conceding the goals, was our inability to create chances. If we analyse the second half, control of the game is subjective, because Vitória SC only had three shots on goal -the two goals and a third that also created a lot of danger. Now, we have to manage the game with the ball and, above all, be able to create discomfort for the opponent in offensive terms. We weren't able to do that, and that's why we need to understand how we can impose ourselves more in the second half. It's part of the team's growth and ours as coaches. Understanding what the opponents provoke us to do, and how to grow in the offensive and defensive process. We have the obligation and requirement to do more in the 90 minutes, to be more consistent." Ibrahima Ba as an option "Both he and Zeno [Debast] have been working well, they are 100% fit and can contribute to the team." Signing a left-back "It depends on what the market can offer us. Within our policy, and as a club, we may want a younger player or a more mature one. We have to find a balance and understand what the best option will be, always within what the market offers." How to work with a revolution in the squad "Above all, I hope the fans continue to fill the stands at Alvalade. It's important for all the players to feel their affection throughout the 90 minutes. I realise they want the team to 'suffocate' the opposition, but we are in a process of growth. We at Sporting CP, the entire Sporting CP family, have high expectations. It's part of the process. The players who have arrived are young, and the faster they adapt to this pressure of playing for a big club, the better." The reason for the many changes in the squad "It's natural for players who have been here for many years to want new challenges at a certain point. They've already won everything in Portugal. It's not about the coach not wanting them. It's down to everything that happened in the past few years -and also about the players' wishes. There's a lot of dialogue between everyone – players, coaching staff, and management – and the departures were related to that: to opportunities, to the players' choice to pursue a new challenge. It's not about them 'being here out of pity,' but rather about the fact that, as time goes by, they also need other challenges to continue growing. They are still at that age of striving to get better and being exposed to different things in their daily lives. This has ended up being a year with many departures, but at some point they had to happen. It's part of the growth that happens at clubs. As a coach, I limit myself to trying to do my best and showing those who arrive what the demands of Sporting CP are, in this great club who fight for all the trophies possible."