Debast has not played since October 22, Geny Catamo was with the Mozambique national team – Photo: IMAGO
Debast has not played since October 22, Geny Catamo was with the Mozambique national team – Photo: IMAGO
Lions had two days to clear their heads and return to training to start preparing Casa Pia. Debast returns to the coach’s options after injury and Geny Catamo after CAN. Extreme will renew
Between injured, punished and absent for other reasons, Rui Borges has ten players out of options, yet the Sporting coach has reason to smile today due to two good news: two reinforcements upon their return to training. Debast returns after prolonged injury; Geny Catamo after participating in the African Cup of Nations (CAN).
The defeat with Vitória de Guimarães — 1-2 in the semi-finals of the League Cup —, which followed the draw with Gil Vicente — 1-1 in the championship —, left its mark on the Leonine team and these two days off granted by the coach served to clear their heads. Today’s training serves to begin preparation for the game with Casa Pia, on matchday 18 — eight days from today at 8:15 pm at the José Alvalade Stadium — and will also mark the return of Debast, postponed since Monday.
The 22-year-old Belgian center back injured his left knee in the 2-1 UEFA Champions League Matchday 3 match against Marseille on 22 October, in which he was forced to leave in the 80th minute. Since then, two and a half months have passed, the defender missed 16 games but will be ready for the meeting with the geese.
He would not be a starter at the start, but absences could force the coach to accelerate the entry of the number 6 into the eleven, because Gonçalo Inácio is the only available central defender — Eduardo Quaresma is injured and the Ivorian Diomande is still in the CAN, tomorrow’s game with Egypt in the quarter-finals will dictate whether or not he arrives in time for Friday’s match, defeat frees him for the lions, victory obliges him to stay until the end of the continental competition taking place in Morocco, whether until to the final (the 18th) or the 3rd and 4th place award game (the 17th).
Eliminated in the round of 16 from CAN was Geny Catamo’s Mozambique. That’s why the 24-year-old winger already counts for the game against Casa Pia and given the injuries to Quenda and Pedro Gonçalves, he’s a strong candidate for the starting eleven.
The application for contract renewal had the number 10 jersey already released and had been lined up before going to the national team. Two more years of contract, from 2028 to 2030, salary increase and termination clause from 60 to 80 million euros. Officialization will be soon.
Returning to today’s training, the injured Salvador Blopa, Eduardo Quaresma, Mangas, Quenda and Pedro Gonçalves will be out. The presence of Ioannidis depends on reevaluation of the injury. Nuno Santos continues to recover his physical condition. For the game with Casa Pia, Hjulmand and Maxi are suspended.
Aiko Tanaka is a combat sports journalist and general sports reporter at Archysport. A former competitive judoka who represented Japan at the Asian Games, Aiko brings firsthand athletic experience to her coverage of judo, martial arts, and Olympic sports. Beyond combat sports, Aiko covers breaking sports news, major international events, and the stories that cut across disciplines — from doping scandals to governance issues to the business side of global sport. She is passionate about elevating the profile of underrepresented sports and athletes.
