Iván Fresneda on Rui Borges: Gratitude & Impact

Iván Fresneda gave a great interview to the daily AS, in which the Spanish full-back was asked about the importance of Rui Borges in his career and, in response, he was full of praise for the Sporting coach.

«As soon as I arrived, Rui Borges spoke to me. At a time when there was a lot of talk about me being able to leave. I am eternally grateful to you. We were coming from negative results and he showed me a lot of confidence. It showed that he was betting on me and I reciprocated on the pitch. He gave me a lot, both he and the technical team. From a mental point of view, to improve. I came from an injury, from playing little and this way you can recover your level, contribute. I try to improve every day», said Fresneda.

The full-back previewed the duel against FC Porto in February and also spoke about his expectations for the rest of the season: «The calendar for the second half of the season is complicated, but we need to take advantage of it. If we want to be champions here, we need to lose as few points as possible. We have to be even better in this second round. The first one wasn’t bad, but we need more. We have to look within to achieve our goal of winning the championship. Let’s go game by game. There is also the Cup, which we want to win like last year.”

Regarding the Lisbon derby with Benfica, Fresneda launches an audible “incredible!”. And he continues: «The competitiveness of the top teams is enormous. A classic is something that generates a lot around them. It is lived with great intensity. It’s a legendary rivalry, going back many years. It’s incredible how everything is experienced, what the fans in Lisbon bring to the game. How, on the day of the game, fans come to follow the team from the academy to the stadium. What is experienced both in the country and abroad is spectacular. The expectation generated in the preview… Something like this rarely happens. It’s incredible. Our fans follow us in all stadiums. Sometimes we play far away and they make us feel at home. My friends and family were impressed. Maybe Spain doesn’t take into account the size of what a classic is here.”

The conversation, however, included sharing a locker room with Gyokeres and how Fresneda evolved as a result. «Yes, he is also a striker who likes to go down the corridors, to gain space and, of course… You have to cover a space behind his back and start running. Of course you learn. I have a very good relationship with him. Of course, you need to defend players from this power, to let it go into space and withstand close combat in driving. I wish him all the best,” he said.

After this response, and having made the connection with Luis Suárez, Fresneda concluded: «That’s right. He gives us a lot and comes at a good time. Before you ask me, they are different players, he and Gyokeres. They play the same position, but have different characteristics. Now Luis, like Gyokeres, is doing a great job. Luis is super important.”

The conclusion of this interview was made with a comparison with his compatriot Pedro Porro, both at Sporting and in the Spanish national team: «That’s a goal that I can’t get out of my head. It’s something I want to achieve, that one day I would like to have this opportunity and I work every day so that this type of thing comes with humility, effort and sacrifice. It’s one of my goals. Pedro has a great career and has demonstrated this for a long time and, of course, he deserves to be in the position he is in. I wish him all the best. I also have a good relationship with him.”