Lion coach again posed questions about the future, but refused the theory that the Maritime victory represents an oxygen balloon. “Now it is to focus again on what the championship is,” said Rui Borges.
© Getty Images
28/10/2026
by
News to Minutes
Rui Borges was pleased with Sporting’s “90 very competent minutes” in the victory against the Maritime (2-1), collected on Tuesday night, and it was worth the passage to the final four of the League Cup. At a press conference, the lions' coach again posed questions about his future in the technical command of the lions, after seeing FC Porto's leader stay at nine points in the championship, and ensured he was only “focused” in the next game.
“ I think the whole team was fine. It's hard to change a whole eleven, get here and have a game quality above average. It's impossible. Given what was also the last two results, it is natural to lack confidence here or there, and this was appearing at an early stage of the game. But the team was trying to grow up, without getting into collective mistrust, and made a very competent game. We ended up having a goal in a ball-loss thing of ours, in a fully controlled ball of ours, where the Seaman wasn't pushing too hard and couldn't win us the ball. It grows there in those last two minutes, leaving some natural discomfort, in the face of the last two games ", started by saying Rui Borges.
“Above all, it was 90 very competent minutes of the team. I think we could've scored some other way, with a lot of balls on the pole again. Luck is hard work. It is to continue to believe in the work and follow our path ", highlighted.
Faced with the whistles coming from the benches of the José de Alvalade Stadium, Borges promised “work” to the fans and refused the theory that the victory against the Maritime is an oxygen balloon, also saying “every day” with President Frederico Varandas.
“ It was a game we got from us, where we wanted to be in the four finals, that's all. Different competition. I said in the preview for Sporting's television: We really wanted to be in the trophy contest and that's what we want to do. Now it is to focus again on what is the championship and in the game with Casa Pia ", stressed.
“Rui Silva is a great goalkeeper”
Sporting presented an eleven with several changes and Rui Silva had the opportunity to play in the League Cup, after losing the title in the Champions League and in the championship. In the end, he received praise from Borges, who considers him a “great goalkeeper”.
“I have answered that. Dissatisfaction, for me, is natural in what my work is. There are no gauges, I'm not worried about that, quite frankly. I'm worried about doing my best in my job, trying to be better every day, looking for solutions and doing the best for Sporting. That's for sure. The rest is part of it. About the goal? Rui was important, even for the rest of the team. He's a great goalie, and he's still a great goalie because Kaique played three games. You keep working the same way, with the same spirit. He is an important player for the whole group, a mature player and today it was important that this maturity passed backwards. They look back and see Rui there, feel that there is a leader somehow and someone who is there to help them ", shot the coach of Sporting.