Rui Borges has heaped praises on Sporting CP performance despite their elimination from the Champions League at the quarter-final stage to Arsenal on Wednesday.
Th Portuguese side had suffered a 1-0 defeat in the first leg and despite a brilliant second leg performance, they could not breach the Gunners’ defence and crashed out of the competition with their heads high.
Speaking after the clash, Borges was proud of his players and believes they would get better in the coming seasons.
“I think ‘proud’ is the right word for all the players, for what they’ve done over these two games. I think we deserved more, potentially extra time. In both games, Sporting had the better chances. The character and the personality from the team, to fight against one of the best teams in Europe, was amazing”, Borges said.
“In terms of strategy, the team was great. We had the better opportunities, Arsenal didn’t create much in our box, neither here nor in Lisbon. We were great on the ball and we didn’t allow a team with great individual players who can resolve a game one-against-one to break.
Kai Havertz’s goal from the first leg was enough to give Arsenal the edge as they advanced to a second semifinal in the Champions League.
Meanwhile, Sporting bow out after an impressive campaign, where they also finished in the top eight at the conclusion of the league phase.
“There can’t be any frustration, just pride at what they’ve managed: two big games against one of the best teams in Europe. The word ‘frustration’ does not exist for us, just recovery”, Borges added.
“If we want to be among the best in Europe, we have to have the mental capacity to respond to having a game every three days. That’s extra motivation for us.
“In terms of a summary for Sporting in the Champions League, it’s been very positive. We’ve showed the history of Sporting. We can lift our heads now and look at all the positive things we’ve done.
“It was the start of a dream and the result of growth that the club has been doing at all different levels. We’ve created this respect that people look at Sporting and also the Portuguese league differently”, the Sporting boss concluded.
Sporting CP will now turn their attention to the Portuguese league where they are currently five points behind Porto with a game in hand.
Olakitan is a young writer with a strong passion for sports, having gained experience with IndyPress and Nimelssa Press. His enthusiasm for sports inspired him to cover events both within his school and beyond. With a deep understanding of the game and a refined skillset, he brings sports coverage to a broad, global audience in a way that’s engaging and accessible.
