"If there is a stoppage in what is sure to be a supercharged Derbi de Lisboa on Friday, the Sporting head coach, Rui Borges, will likely look down to check the watch he considers a lucky charm. The black Casio bought for 20 while still playing for his hometown club Mirandela in north-east Portugal, 150km inland from Porto is a symbol of his superstitious nature and one he has maintained on his journey from the obscurity of being an amateur coach to making a mark on the biggest stage in club football."
"The 44-year-old Portuguese picked up the pieces after the turbulence brought by Ruben Amorim's exit for Manchester United and is quietly forging a fine reputation himself, with Sporting chasing a third straight league title and vying to qualify automatically for the knockout stages of the Champions League. It promises to be significant few days, a trip across town to Benfica's Estadio da Luz, the warmup for a visit to the Allianz Arena and Bayern Munich on Tuesday."
Rui Borges wears a black Casio watch bought for 20 while playing for hometown club Mirandela and regards it as a lucky charm. He is 44 and progressed from amateur coach to leading Sporting, replacing Ruben Amorim after his move to Manchester United. Borges won a domestic double in his first season and now pursues a third consecutive league title while seeking automatic qualification from the Champions League group. Sporting sit second, three points behind Porto and three ahead of Benfica. The squad overcame Viktor Gyokeres's transfer saga, and new striker Luis Suarez has scored nine goals in 12 matches.
Read at www.theguardian.com
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