Sporting Sack Pereira, Borges Appointed as Replacement

Sporting Lisbon's Portuguese coach Joao Pereira is pictured during the Portuguese League football match between Gil Vicente FC and Sporting CP at the at the Cidade de Barcelos stadium in Barcelos, on December 22, 2024. (AFP)
Sporting Lisbon's Portuguese coach Joao Pereira is pictured during the Portuguese League football match between Gil Vicente FC and Sporting CP at the at the Cidade de Barcelos stadium in Barcelos, on December 22, 2024. (AFP)
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Sporting Sack Pereira, Borges Appointed as Replacement

Sporting Lisbon's Portuguese coach Joao Pereira is pictured during the Portuguese League football match between Gil Vicente FC and Sporting CP at the at the Cidade de Barcelos stadium in Barcelos, on December 22, 2024. (AFP)
Sporting Lisbon's Portuguese coach Joao Pereira is pictured during the Portuguese League football match between Gil Vicente FC and Sporting CP at the at the Cidade de Barcelos stadium in Barcelos, on December 22, 2024. (AFP)

Sporting have appointed Rui Borges as head coach, the Portuguese champions announced on Thursday, following the sacking of Joao Pereira.

Sporting said Borges has signed a contract until June 2026, with an option to further extend it by a year.

Pereira, who took over after Ruben Amorim's departure to Manchester United in November, was in charge for eight matches, of which Sporting won just three.

Under the former Portugal and Sporting defender, the Lisbon club suffered successive Champions League defeats and fell to second in the Primeira Liga standings behind cross-town rivals Benfica.

Pereira's replacement Borges takes charge of the club after stepping down from his role at fellow Portuguese top-flight club Vitoria Guimaraes.

Sporting paid Vitoria a settlement of 4.1 million euros ($4.26 million) for the 43-year-old's services.

Borges, who has coached a string of Portuguese clubs, took charge of Vitoria in May. He guided them to the knockout stages of the Conference League, where they finished the group stage as one of only two unbeaten clubs alongside England's Chelsea.

Sporting next host Benfica in a top-of-the-table clash on Sunday.



Aprilia’s Martin Suffers Lung, Ribs Injury in GP Return 

Spanish MotoGP rider Jorge Martin of Aprilia Racing in action during the Motorcycling Grand Prix of Qatar at the Lusail International Circuit, in Lusail, Qatar, 13 April 2025. (EPA)
Spanish MotoGP rider Jorge Martin of Aprilia Racing in action during the Motorcycling Grand Prix of Qatar at the Lusail International Circuit, in Lusail, Qatar, 13 April 2025. (EPA)
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Aprilia’s Martin Suffers Lung, Ribs Injury in GP Return 

Spanish MotoGP rider Jorge Martin of Aprilia Racing in action during the Motorcycling Grand Prix of Qatar at the Lusail International Circuit, in Lusail, Qatar, 13 April 2025. (EPA)
Spanish MotoGP rider Jorge Martin of Aprilia Racing in action during the Motorcycling Grand Prix of Qatar at the Lusail International Circuit, in Lusail, Qatar, 13 April 2025. (EPA)

Reigning champion Jorge Martin had a nightmare return to MotoGP after the Aprilia rider suffered a crash at Sunday's Qatar Grand Prix that injured his lung and ribs.

Martin was competing at his first Grand Prix weekend after missing the opening three rounds following a crash in pre-season testing that fractured his foot and hand.

The Spaniard went down on Sunday at the kerb on turn 11 under the lights at the Lusail International Circuit and struggled to get back on his feet before being taken to the medical center.

"Jorge Martin underwent a CT scan that showed an increase in the pneumothorax, this will make it necessary to place a drainage in aspiration," Aprilia said in a statement.

"The rider will have to remain under observation for a few days in the hospital until the pneumothorax resolves.

"The final examination shows, also, six fractures on the right posterior arches from one to six."

Aprilia did not give a potential timeline for Martin's return, with the next round in two weeks' time on home turf at the Spanish Grand Prix.

"Performance moves to the back burner today and our thoughts are with Jorge at this difficult period. We stand with him," said Aprilia CEO Massimo Rivola.

Ducati's Marc Marquez won the race in Qatar to extend his lead over his younger brother Alex in the rider's championship to 18 points.