Sporting risk losing Maxi Araújo and Zalazar for Braga

Sporting could be without both Maxi Araújo and Rodrigo Zalazar for the trip to Braga on 9 October, after Uruguay coach Diego Forlán named the pair for a run of friendlies against Japan, South Korea and India.

The three matches fall on 24 September in Rifu, 28 September in Seoul and 6 October in India — the last of them just three days before the Liga Portugal Betclic fixture in Braga, which opens the 8th round.

The round was moved forward to Friday because Sporting play Lens in the Champions League the following Tuesday, 13 October, leaving Rui Borges little margin to have his players back and ready.

Arouca goalkeeper Arruabarrena had been on Uruguay's provisional list but was left out of the final squad.

Maxi Araújo's absence is the more awkward one for Rui Borges: the left-sided player has no direct like-for-like deputy, and the coach is expected to choose between two younger options to cover that flank at the Estádio Municipal de Braga.

Sporting have not been drawn into the same squad list before this international break, and Portugal, where Cristiano Ronaldo has scored 3 goals in qualifying, sit second in their own group with 5 points from 3 games.

If both players are indeed unavailable, Sporting travel to Braga short of two regulars from a matchday squad already thinned by the packed September-October calendar, with the Lens trip adding to the case for rotation rather than risk.