Sporting must be prepared for the intensity and aggression that Santa Clara will bring to the round of 16 match of the Portuguese Football Cup, coach Rui Borges warned this Wednesday, December 17th.
“It’s always a difficult field. Santa Clara has conceded few goals at home in the championship and that dictates their organization. They are an intense and competitive team at home, very aggressive. They expect difficulties like those we already had in the championship game”, he said, at the preview press conference.
This duel counting for the 11th round of the I League, which ended with a controversial ‘Leonine’ victory by 2-1, with a goal from Morten Hjulmand at 90+4, following a poorly awarded corner kick, was remembered several times in this preview.
“Emotional stability is always important. These are natural things about the game, two teams wanting to win. That game is over and tomorrow [quinta-feira] there will be two teams wanting to reach the ‘quarters’. Whoever passes knows they will play at home. These are factors that can motivate a heated game, but on the positive side, in terms of intensity. I think Santa Clara is the team with the most cards in the championship, which dictates the aggression they bring into the game. We have to be prepared for it”, he considered.
As a result of injuries to the squad, Rui Borges needs to make changes to the team, which keeps him “comfortable”, and confirmed Hjulmand’s fitness, not “at 100%”, after symptoms of illness kept him out of the rout against AVS (6-0).
“Opportunities are not about being a Portuguese Cup game, but about the moment itself, the availability of the players and what we want for a game. We are the holders of the title, we really want to continue with it and we will do everything to move forward in the competition. Regardless of who plays, the players who train with us know what they have to do and they know they could have an opportunity. They are waiting, as so many others have been”, he stressed.