Calvary or option? Ibrahima Ba costs Sporting

Athe mystery surrounding Ibrahima Ba is dense in Sporting. The Senegalese 21-year-old defense was hired to the Famalicão for €21.25 million last summer, but it was late in imposing itself in Alvalade. A problem in the right knee is pointed out as the main obstacle to its claim, but the season already has 16 games of lions and Ba only participated in two of them, which results in a cost of 118 thousand euros per minute, according to the newspaper THE GAME. 

The 21-year-old player was the holder in front of Alverca in the 3rd press and the Viseu Academic in the 9th round of the League, accumulating 180 minutes of use. 

After allegedly failing Strasbourg’s medical examinations, which brought down the business, Ibrahima Ba would eventually head to Sporting, signing a valid contract until 2031 and being shielded by a clause of EUR 80 million. 

It was quickly noticed that the former Famalicão would not be 100%, but Frederico Varandas made a point of resting the fans of Sporting on September 21, saying that the leadership took a “conscious decision”. 

“ In relation to Ibrahima Ba, it was decided that it would be ready for action. We took this decision, admission and trainer. We have lost a player in defence, Diomande, and we have invested EUR 21 million in a player we believe will be a new Diomande at Sporting. We know that Ibrahima Ba would be available in September. The player had to sacrifice and play first, knowing the risk. The player will be able, if all goes well, to play the following jor­nay (it would end up staying in the bank of suplentes against Braga)", explained the leader of the lions. 

“ It was the decision-making process of admission for one reason, Sporting has had Eduardo Quaresma, has been at Sporting for 15 years, has won three championships, Gonçalo Inácio, has won three championships, Zeno Debast. We were calm with the absence until September. Since Diomande has participated several times in the CAN, he has sprained the knee with internal lateral rupture and has been absent for two months and the Sporting has survived, as it has to do, it is not there", he said. 

Despite having played only two games in Sporting's jersey, Senegalese sat on the bench of alternates in eight other games and it remains to be seen what the real reasons for its scarce use are. 

In any case, this competitive pause, imposed by the selections' commitments, may serve to Ibrahima Ba recover physically once and for all, taking advantage to show credentials to Paulo Fonseca. 

In the first game of Rui Borges' successor, Ba stayed on the bench of alternates, before Moreirense, and still owns the most expensive central defense title of the era of Frederico Varandas in Alvalade. 

What about Debast? 

Also wanting to take advantage of this period is Zeno Debast, another player with successive physical problems and who has not played for Sporting since September 19, when he was expelled in front of Arouca. 

The next journey of the I League dictates Sporting's visit to FC Porto leader and Paulo Fonseca wants to have the squad in full force.