Coach Rui Borges confirmed this third match, on January 27, that Sporting is in Bilbao to “write history”, in the Champions League, in front of an athletic team that is “the biggest symbol of Spain”, on its first and last day.
“We are focused and have the courage to do something that will be noted. We are afraid that we will have problems with ourselves. We will face a great team that is afraid of a very strong identity. We will overcome difficulties, but we will go with ambition and try to do our best. And without an end, we will wait and see, nothing will please our fantastic journey.”Rui Borges confirmed.
The leões coach played to journalists in the Basque Country, at the Estádio San Mamés, at a business conference to show the duel of the fourth game from the league stage.
If they triumph, Sporting have the chance to secure direct access to the final stages of the Champions League, even though Athletic Bilbao are still in the play-offs. The Portuguese camps occupy 10th place with 13 points, while the Basques are in 10th place. 23rd, with number.
“The cleaning in the thermos of the calendar was excellent, I didn’t feel like the team was ever ready and able, easier to control and understand the sound. It was fantastic, but we didn’t play to think about it, instead we learned and made history.”said the 44-year-old technician.
Borges highlights the regression of Nuno Santos in the team after a lesson that has been a year worse, highlights the extreme’s “character, quality and example” and predicts that Sporting will take some measures in Bilbao.
“We do not escape from our identity and our idea of the game, but within the idea we move by changing our behavior, always with the intention of our superiority. O Athletic is a great team, the most titled in Spain. Individuality is the way to solve the game.”consider.
At the same conference of the company was the manager Rui Silva, who spent several years in Spanish football, serving Granada and Betis, usually in a lively environment in San Mamés and also had the opportunity to take Sporting to the league stage among the best players.
“We play in this stadium several times and it is difficult to pass us because of the environment, but we are a great club and we are used to it. We will play a great game like Paris Saint-Germain on the last day, but this will be a new challenge. It will be a much more important game for us than when you can join the first from Europe. It is very pleasing.”said the guard of 31 years.
Athletic Bilbao-Sporting is scheduled for 20:00 (21:00 local time) and will be refereed by Felix Zwayer.
Leave a Reply