This Tuesday at 9pm (CET) Paris Saint-Germain (3rd) will face Sporting Portugal (14th) at the José Alvalade Stadium in the 7th round of the 2025-2026 Champions League. In a press conference, the Portuguese coach Rui Borges spoke about this match and the Parisian opponent.
Borges: “It will be a great Champions League match”
Will fighting spirit be essential?
“It will be a great Champions League match. We will need to show the maturity we have shown in competition. Alvalade has been our fortress. Sporting, both at home and away, has demonstrated its style and personality, and we must be able to replicate that. They are perhaps the best team in Europe, the ones who have won the trophy, a great team.”
Borges: “Above all, this match must be a source of pride for us”
We were lucky with the draw: we faced two of the three best teams, Bayern and PSG, as well as Arsenal. Above all, this match must be a source of pride for us, a challenge and motivation to face the best, show that we are up to the task, and fight alongside them.
” Borges: “Every player who comes on will be extremely motivated.”
Are you intimidated by the prospect of facing the Champions League title holders tomorrow? Does Hjulmand’s absence worry you?
The lethargy is starting to dissipate. God willing, Diomande and Pote will be back next week. They make the team more effective and stronger. This is the best team, collectively and individually, and it will be a huge challenge. Every player who comes on will be extremely motivated.
Sporting has demonstrated the greatness of this team. Tomorrow will be the same. The important thing is knowing who is available today. Regarding Hjulmand, someone else will play; we play with eleven players. They will respond as best they can. Above all, it’s the group that counts. Proof that everyone is capable and that there is a solution. “
When Paris Saint-Germain arrives, the scene changes. Rui Borges’ words perfectly capture this reality: facing the European champions, PSG, is no longer just a match, but a test of stature. Sporting Lisbon doesn’t see themselves as victims, much less spectators. They position themselves as galvanized opponents, aware of the gap but eager to challenge it.
This dynamic has become a classic around Paris Saint-Germain: each team prepares with a particular intensity, driven by the idea of measuring themselves against a continental powerhouse. Respect is ever-present, admiration sometimes, but above all, motivation is tenfold. PSG, by virtue of its status, imposes the highest standards on those who face it. And that is precisely where its new European weight lies: transforming each match into a moment of truth for the opponent, whether it be Sporting Lisbon… or any other European giant.”
