Sporting Lisbon vs Portimonense: Bragança Recovers from Flu but Starts on Bench, Pedro Gonçalves Moves Back to Midfield

Bragança is recovering from the flu but must start the game with Portimonense on the bench; Pedro Gonçalves should retreat, which opens up the prospect of Paulinho accompanying Gyokeres in attack

Sporting enters the field this Saturday at Portimonense — 8:30 pm on the 15th round of the League — with three usual starters outside of Rúben Amorim’s accounts. One of them, Hjulmand, who is serving a suspension, would open the door for Daniel Bragança, but the Portuguese only recovered from the flu this Friday and is preparing to start the game on the substitutes’ bench. That’s why Pedro Gonçalves must move back on the field, from the attack to the core, to embrace a position that is no longer his usual one but that he knows well.

Pedro Gonçalves knows the midfield position well. MIGUEL NUNES/ASF

Bragança was a starter and a great figure in the game against Tondela (2-1), with a goal and an assist to help seal the ticket to the final four of the League Cup. The number 23 of the green and white team was preparing to maintain his starting position, now in Portimão, but a flu kept him away from training on Wednesday and Thursday. Only this Friday did the midfielder return to training and that’s why Rúben Amorim is preparing to opt for Pedro Gonçalves to retreat on the field, taking on a more offensive role in midfield, where he will form a duo in the middle with Morita, who is preparing to leaving for the Asian Cup — Hjulmand saw a series of five yellow cards in the championship and is therefore a card out of Amorim’s deck.

Daniel Bragança did not train on Wednesday and Thursday. IMAGO/AFLOSPORT

It is in this line of four in midfield that doubt arises. Esgaio on the right and Nuno Santos on the left? Or can Geny Catamo mix things up before heading to the African Cup of Nations? An entry by the Mozambican, more natural on the right but not unprecedented on the left, will lead to one of the most common wingers starting as a substitute.

There will be something new at the front, because Pedro Gonçalves, when he retreats, will open a space on the left. Gyokeres, Sporting’s top scorer — 17 goals and six assists in 20 games — and a great figure in this championship is untouchable and can this Saturday be joined by Paulinho, the team’s other striker and who has already lived, and successfully, with the Swede — as Gyokeres himself has already warned that he sometimes makes the team more dangerous and which was also recognized by Rúben Amorim in the press conference previewing the game. Completing the attacking trio, on the right side, is English winger Marcus Edwards.

The defense

In defense, the coach also has to innovate. Because Sebastián Coates is recovering from a knee problem and because Gonçalo Inácio also received a series of yellow cards and is therefore suspended for the game. In the center, in place of the Uruguayan, Diomande should then advance — the Ivorian plays his last game before leaving for CAN —, which thus opens up a spot on the right of the trio of defenders. Luís Neto or Eduardo Quaresma are in front to take the place, in this case with the more veteran having an advantage over the youngest. On the left, it should be Matheus Reis who takes over the starting position, which in goal will certainly be handed over to Antonio Adán.

2023-12-29 21:21:00
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