The meeting between FC Porto and Benfica, relating to the quarter-finals of the Portuguese Cup, promises high intensity and little margin for error, said Aloísio, a former Dragons defender.
“They are the two biggest clubs in Portugal, traditional rivals, with heavy jerseys and a great history. This always makes it a special game, different from any other”, highlighted the former Brazilian international to the Lusa agency, describing the duel as one of the great moments of Portuguese football.
For Aloísio, this status translates into the intense way in which the game is played on the field, where every detail gains greater importance: “It’s a game with a lot of pressure. Every ball, every space and every duel counts. In classics, mistakes are more punished and, if you want to win, it’s essential to make as few mistakes as possible.”
The former defender, who represented the Dragons for ten seasons – between 1990/91 and 2000/01 – recalled that the preparation for an FC Porto-Benfica match began as soon as the calendar announced the confrontation, whether in the championship or in a knockout round.
“The motivation is already intrinsic. The player immediately starts to get his mind around it, with the coach’s work, the videos, the details of the week and also very much depending on the team’s moment”, he said.
In his opinion, these games are resolved by a combination of individual quality, collective organization and emotional control: “Big teams have quality players, but emotional control is decisive. Each play is experienced differently and the support of the fans ends up being like another player on the field”.
The former player also highlighted the role of the atmosphere in the stadium, stating that the atmosphere begins to feel well before the opening whistle, with noticeable differences during the week: “during the week you already notice something different, in the players, in the city, in the press itself” and that “arriving at a full stadium, with the fans cheering, has a huge impact on the team’s performance”.
From a tactical point of view, Aloísio considered that classics are, by nature, intense and highly contested, regardless of the strategy chosen: “You can press higher or play more waiting, but it is always a game played hard. Winning individual duels is essential for the collective to function”, he stressed.
Despite admitting that experience helps to better manage the context, the former international defended that the pressure is widespread, affecting both the “younger and more experienced”, because “it is part of a classic of this size”.
As for the prediction for the game, scheduled for Wednesday at 8:45 pm at Estádio do Dragão, Aloísio considered that the moment benefits the dragons and named FC Porto as the favorite: “FC Porto has a dynamic team, they are physically and technically well, they are going through a good moment and playing at home. Therefore, and despite being Benfica, I think FC Porto start as favorites”.
