Morten Hjulmand has been worthy of Rúben Amorim's complete trust during this season. The Danish midfielder, who is playing his first season at Sporting after two seasons playing for the modest Lecce, from Italy, 'nailed down' the options of coach Rúben Amorim and never left.

Now, the Portuguese coach is forced to give up Hjulmand, due to the accumulation of yellow cards. The player was cautioned in this way against Benfica (and there are even those who claim that he should have been shown a second), in a victory that may be essential for the championship decisions.

The midfielder has accumulated ten yellow cards in national competitions (nine in the League, one in the Cup) and is prevented from participating in the trip to Barcelos. In the first round, Hjulmand had already been left out against Portimonense, due to the accumulation of five yellow cards.

The Dane has only missed two official matches this season

Morten Hjulmand has only missed two Sporting matches this season, playing 43 out of 45 possible challenges (he missed the first matchday because he was not yet a Sporting athlete). The aforementioned match against Portimonense, and a match against Farense, of the League Cup, in which Rúben Amorim would not be putting 'all his eggs in one basket' and chose to leave him out.

In that last match, Daniel Bragança and Gonçalo Inácio were side by side for the first time in midfield. The Lions won 4-2. In the first match, against Portimonense, it was Morita and Pedro Gonçalves who occupied the midfield from the start. The match was won 'fairly' by Sporting, by 2-1.

This time, who will be chosen by Rúben Amorim? Midfield is the position where the coach has fewer solutions. Without Hjulmand, Morita, Daniel Bragança and Koba (played only once from the start) remain as natural options. He can also opt for the adaptation of Pedro Gonçalves, who recently returned from injury.

There are seven matches left until the end of the championship. Sporting plays with Gil Vicente on the 12th, at a time when the Barcelos club followed different paths from coach Vítor Campelos. The team lost the last three matches and has 28 points, being dangerously close to the relegation zone. It remains to be seen what option Rúben Amorim will take to replace the omnipresent Hjulmand.

Read Also: Should Di María have been sent off? Hjulmand too? The cases of the derby (Portuguese version)