Three days from the reception to LASK Linz, for the third round of the Champions League single league phase, Rui Borges knows that he will not have three players available for the duel with the Austrians and can take the opportunity to promote more moves in the lions' initial eleven.
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18/10/2026
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Dafter two days off, the Sporting team returned this Saturday morning to practice and began preparing the reception to LASK Linz for the third round of the Champions League single league phase, which takes place next Wednesday at Alvalade Stadium.
The operation to prepare the meeting before the Austrian club began with three headaches for Coach Rui Borges. Delivered to the Performance Unit of the club of Alvalade continue Zeno Debast, Rodrigo Zalazar and Nuno Santos, trio that should stay out of this European duel.
In view of these certain losses, the Sports to Minute decided to do a projection exercise on those that could be Rui Borges' options for the confrontation against LASK Linz. From goal to attack, there may be several changes that may arise in the initial eleven of the green and white.
Seal should not be altered... and defense can be retouched
Kaique Pereira signed an exhibition on the verge of perfection, in the debut with the jersey of the main team of Sporting, and proved fundamental to the victory achieved over Lens last Tuesday. The Brazilian guardian may have taken a seat at eleven, after having been Rui Borges' bet and relegated Rui Silva to the bench of alternates.
If we look at the defense sector, Iván Fresneda, Gonçalo Inacio, Eduardo Lent and Maxi Araújo they formed the defensive quartet of green and white against the French. If the pair of plants should not be altered, due to the almost certain absence of Zeno Debast and the inconsistency in the physical form of Ibrahima Ba, the sides can be retouched.
Georgios Vagiannidis it has alternated with Fresneda on the right side and can appear in the eleven before the Austrians. On the other side, Moncef Zekri he was the holder of the team led by Leando Grimi and played the first 59 minutes for the sub-23 training of Sporting. The presence in the starting team should not happen, but the Moroccan, who has already been integrated in the entourage of Rui Borges in the trips to Braga and Lens, should appear in the game card.
Silas Andersen on the eleven after assistance and Flavius back?
In the midfield, Sergi Altimira and Issa Doumbia have been the habitués in this area of the playing ground. Still, and given that the game may prove a little more physical, Rui Borges may keep in mind the placement of Silas Andersen in the eleventh, he who left the bank to assist Doumbia's goal in Lens.
For the attack, and if Luis Suárez is guaranteed part in the team holder fruit of the great moment so that it lives – there are already eight games followed to score with Sporting sweater – the wings can receive new arrows to aim the goal of LASK Linz. Nestory Irankunda and Geny Catamo have been the options in the past few games, but Flavius Gonçalves, who tore off the season the holder and caught on in the first games, and Jesse Derry they run outside to get a spot on the starting team.
The position behind the spearhead is also in doubt. Without the injured Rodrigo Zalazar, John Simons made this place in front of Lens. The question remains whether the Portuguese youth repeats the title or another name appears in position 10. Doumbia, for example, has already made this place in previous games and may be the alternative.
The reception of Sporting to LASK Linz is scheduled for the night of next Wednesday at the Alvalade Stadium in Lisbon, and has initial whistle pointed to the 20 hours (Time of Continental Portugal).