Amorim confirm they are looking for reinforcements but trust Sporting strikers

Sporting coach Ruben Amorim confirmed on Friday that the I League club is looking for a player to strengthen their attack, but he has bolstered confidence in the team’s current forwards and refused to look to alternative options.

“We are looking for another attacking player to add to those we already have and that’s where I will stay,” the coach said when asked about the differences between Greek Fotis Ioannidis and Brazilian Vitor Roque, who have been reported as “targets” for the club.

He went on to admit that Sporting were taking a “risk” by allowing the “past” attacking reinforcements to continue, but stressed that the club’s strategy was not to abandon the main objective and refused to take a “second or third attempt” when the market was not yet closed.

“We are doing everything possible to sign this player. I am very optimistic about everything and I believe that we will get the player,” Amorim concluded, without naming the athlete.

Moreover, this topic dominated the press conference dedicated to the match of the second round of the I League against Nacional, and Amorim left clues about the team that will line up in Chupan as their “hitchhiker”.

He remembered that “Victor [Gyökeres] improves” his physical performance after knee surgery at the end of last season and, on the other hand, showed that “Rodrigo [Ribeiro] was touched” during the training week, “he will not be called up” and that it would be “an opportunity for Gabriel [Silva]”, team B striker.

“We rely on the players we have, and on the attacking front we have several players,” he concluded.

Regarding possible departures, he said he did not know whether “there have been talks or not” about the sale of Goncalo Inacio, taking the opportunity to say that the centre-back was “ready” to face Nacional and “will play”.

“We have a difficult year ahead, with the Champions League, we want to be champions again, that’s very clear. Right now, until the market closes, anything can happen. It’s about staying with the players we have and moving forward,” Amorim said.

Regarding Saturday’s encounter, the coach recalled that “Madeira is always very difficult to play in” and stressed that the team must be “at its best to win” and continue the triumph achieved over Rio Ave (3-1) on the opening day of the championship.

“This week we will be even better, knowing that it is hot, it is a 6pm game, we need a very strong attitude because we do not want to lose points and it is important to win games like this,” he said.

Sporting visit Nacional on Saturday in a second-round Portuguese Football League match that kicks off at 6pm at the Madeira Stadium, refereed by Luis Godinho (Evora).

Unlike the Lions, who made a triumphant debut in the championship, the Madeirans, led by Tiago Margarido, returned to the top level of Portuguese football this year and are playing out a draw with ABC (1-1).