AND official. Rui Borges will even leave Sporting’s technical command, with the Alvalade club announcing this Sunday night that it will “soon announce the new coach of the main football team.”
The Lions also announce that Tiago Fernandes will assume “with immediate effect, interim technical command” of the Lions team, leading training this Monday, which will take place from 10:30 am, at the Cristiano Ronaldo Academy, to prepare for the match against Shakhtar, in which the current coach of team B will be in charge.
Even after Sporting’s 0-2 victory against Casa Pia, in Rio Maior, the truth is that Rui Borges’ fate was already set for the Mirandela-born coach, who saw his team have a negative series of results with consecutive draws in Famalicão and against Arouca, in Alvalade, in the month of September, with an end of October that was the ‘final straw’, with defeats against LASK Linz and Academic from Viseu, in front of his fans, which generated a growing protest among Leonine fans.
Rui Borges, 45 years old, led the Lions to win the title of national champion and the Portuguese Cup in 2024/25, but last season they finished the I League in second place and lost the final of the premier competition to Torreense, from the II League.
Rui Borges leaves, Paulo Fonseca enters?
Rui Borges is now part of the Alvalade club’s past, but there is a name that is practically certain to succeed the Trás-os-Montes. We’re talking about Paulo Fonseca, Lyon’s coach, who will have played his last game for the French this Sunday.
Paulo Fonseca’s words after Lyon’s match against Angers, where he opened the door to leave for Sporting, ended up serving as an accelerator in these negotiations, with the Portuguese coach being chosen to succeed Rui Borges.
“There is a possibility (of contact). We will see. I really like this group, they are magnificent. Interest from Sporting? At the moment, everything is possible. I don’t know (if I will finish the season). Tomorrow, I will be there with the group. I really like working in France and I love the people at the club”, said the Lyon leader in the flash interview, speaking to Ligue 1+.
Talks with Sporting have been going on for a few days, with Paulo Fonseca being Frederico Varandas’ priority and the situation has been developing and moving towards a successful outcome, even though no contract has been signed so far, despite the French press considering the agreement as closed.
Read the statement in full:
“Sporting Clube de Portugal informs that it met this afternoon with Rui Borges, coach of the main football team, and talks began with a view to terminating his employment relationship.
Tiago Fernandes assumes, with immediate effect, interim technical command of the team.
Sporting CP will soon announce the new coach of the main football team.”
(News updated at 8:43 pm)
