Rui Borges arrived at the eve of Sporting’s meeting with Académico Viseu carrying more than a routine preview. He confirmed that Zeno is out for the next two games and that Zalazar is also unavailable, leaving Sporting to adjust again before Sunday’s 20h30 match at Alvalade.
That absence matters because Borges is still shaping the side around availability and timing. He said Flávio did not lose his place for individual reasons, only because of strategy, and argued that the move was designed to give Sporting more balance, with Sergi dropping into a line of five and Geny staying wide so the team could be stronger defensively.
Borges made clear that this was not a simple swap of names. In that plan, two midfielders had to complete the 5x2x3 line, and he said Flávio remains a creative player who the club believes in heavily. “É solução para amanhã. Tem mais treino e é uma opção como qualquer outro colega,” he said, adding that the midfielder could be a solution for tomorrow. He also noted that Geny’s presence closer to the attack gives Sporting acceleration because he is fast, while the choice of a more cerebral midfielder depends on the moments of the game.
What has not changed is the pressure on the team’s performances. Borges said Sporting has conceded more goals than it wanted and that criticism has followed him since his first day at the club. He also said the side did not show the same intensity against the opponent as it did against Lens or Braga, even if he stressed that the lack of energy is a feeling, not an excuse. The only match he said clearly fell below the expected level was the second half against Vitória, and he added that he could have done other things as coach after “opening the melon.”
That is where the harder part of the discussion sits. Borges framed the problem as collective and tactical rather than personal, saying Sporting has been exposed too often in transition moments and must improve that area. The immediate question is not whether the coach sees the issue — he does — but which 11 players he will trust to carry the fix into Sunday’s match, with Zeno and Zalazar both ruled out and the rest of the structure still open to change.
