Vasco Botelho da Costa, the coach, faces a tricky situation this week. His entire squad won’t be available until just two days before their match against Estoril. This tight timeline leaves little room for full team preparations. It’s a familiar headache for coaches when international breaks pull players away.
Two young talents, Diogo Travassos and Afonso Assis, are currently busy with the national Under-21 and Under-20 teams. The club expects both players to return to Moreira de Cónegos on Thursday. Gilberto Batista, who is on duty with the Guinea-Bissau national squad, might be back for training a day earlier, on Wednesday.
Adding to the challenge, a couple of players are dealing with injuries. Lawrence Ofori remains sidelined with an adductor injury. It looks like he will miss the upcoming game against Estoril. On a brighter note, Rodrigo Alonso, who recently had surgery on his left knee, is making good progress. He has now ditched his crutches and started a new phase in his recovery journey.