The Tondela squad is getting ready for Sunday’s big game against Sporting de Braga. Good news first: no players are sidelined with new injuries. The training ground is full, and spirits are high. But there’s always a wrinkle, isn’t there? One player, Yaya Sithole, needs a careful hand, even though the team doctors say he’s good to go.
Sithole has the green light from the medical team. Still, coach Ivo Vieira probably won’t throw him into the starting lineup against the Arsenalistas. The South African international, who is 26 years old, might get a spot on the bench at most. Sources close to the club, like Record, suggest he’s still missing that sharp match rhythm. You know, the kind you only get from playing competitive games.
Coach Vieira is being smart about this. He’s keeping a close eye on Sithole. There’s no rush, which is key for a player who just came back from a serious injury. Sithole is now training fully, without any limits. He’s itching to play, and he wants those minutes on the field. He might even see some action against Braga, but it would only be as a substitute late in the game, if at all. This patient approach shows a lot of wisdom from the coaching staff.