Arsenal face Sporting Lisbon in the away leg of their Champions League quarter final on Tuesday night after losing the Carabao Cup final and being knocked out of the FA Cup
Rui Borges will lead Sporting against Arsenal on Tuesday night(Image: Carlos Rodrigues/Getty Images)
Rui Borges fears Arsenal will be “like a wounded beast” in the wake of their double cup disaster.
Borges also says Sporting Lisbon will be on red alert to stop Viktor Gyokeres as the Arsenal striker prepares to face his former club in the Champions League quarter final.
Sporting’s bigger concern will be to overcome Arsenal who have lost back-to-back games, suffering defeat in the Carabao Cup final before getting knocked out of the FA Cup at Southampton on Saturday.
Gunners boss Mikel Arteta will now have the chance for redemption in the Champions League but Borges insists that Sporting can reach their first ever semi final.
Sporting boss Borges said: “Arsenal are a great team and they will be like a wounded beast tomorrow, more focused on their individual capacity. Frankly, it will make it more difficult for us but we believe we can do something special tomorrow and do something that has never been done before by reaching the semi final.
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“At this stage, I don’t think there are any favourites. Two teams who have made a positive path, we qualified in the top eight and there will be mutual respect. But I do believe our supporters, our fans, can make the difference and maybe beat a great team, maybe the best – or among the two or three best – in Europe.
“We know we are facing a great team, a mistake can be fatal and so one second of distraction can cost you.”
Gyokeres left Sporting for Arsenal for £64million last summer after a protracted and sometimes ugly transfer saga. The Swede took time to adjust and may get a hot reception from the Sporting fans. But Borges insists there are no hard feelings and insists Gyokeres is a “great player” but has total faith that his defenders can stop him.
Borges added: “Viktor is a great player but we cannot focus on just one player because they have many great players who can make a difference.
“To stop Gyokeres, we have four great defenders and any one of them can do that. It will be a big challenge but we will be ready. I wish Viktor all the best and I’m sure he will be very welcome back here.
“He had a great ambition and after talking to the management both sides got what they wanted. The player wanted to move, the club got what they wanted and Sporting will go on being a great club at European level as well.
“Viktor had to adapt, there was a period of adaptation and given his characteristics it took time but he is back to his level now. It was natural that the fans were a bit suspicious because it took time to score goals but he is back to his best now as a great striker.”
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