– What is your assessment of the internship in the Algarve? Is the team now more prepared?
– I think the last few days in the Algarve have been very positive. We felt it was important to have a moment to bring the team back, for the families to be there too. Combine hard work with that. I think I can clearly say that the job was well done. And we also needed a few moments during dinner to be with the family, with the children, to bring the players together and reinforce this positive feeling. Of course, since we came back, our mind has been focused on tomorrow’s game, on that challenge.
– Is Francisco Moura an option for this game?
– No, he’s out of the game.
– We have already seen him placing Kiwior and Martim Fernandes on the left. Does the team need stability or tear on the left side?
– Stability comes over these 27 or 28 games that we played, we already needed to adapt to different scenarios. Not only on the sides, but also on the central ones. Pablo already played there [Rosario]Prpic… The arrival of Thiago Silva gives us another opportunity too. Martim Fernandes’ excellent performances must be valued, he is evolving very well, and Alberto has also been one of the team’s main players. I think that from all these combinations, we can see different solutions.
– Benfica comes to this game after a defeat against SC Braga and has some absences. Can we say that it is weakened?
– Taking into account the squad they have and their ability to adjust… I think it’s a very good team. This does not change the value of the team. We have to be ready, with the right attitude, with the right spirit, and try to improve what we did in the first classic at Dragão. Try to make things even better. And that is my priority. What we did these days. We have to work on what is within our reach, what we control. What happens on the other side is not in our hands.
– The only time they faced Benfica, they drew. What differences do you find now?
– What we can do is prepare what we will find tomorrow. And tomorrow we can certainly find the same game, but we can also expect different things. Benfica changed their approach, they are more aggressive, they want to win the ball back high. When they came to Dragão, Sudakov and Pavlidis tried to nullify Alan Varela and they did a good job. And of course, this also has to do with the coach’s work, who convinces the players to sacrifice themselves for the team. And tomorrow I expect different scenarios again, a very tactical game. I don’t know about their pressure, but we’re going to prepare. The work we have been doing in recent weeks and especially in the last few days has been very positive. We were able to work on alternatives, different solutions. And having good energy is always a very important factor.
– Fábio Veríssimo will be the referee for the classic… How do you see this delay in the appointment, which was only revealed a few hours ago?
– He gave me the information, especially because I only just got out of the shower and didn’t know about it. You’re telling me now who’s going to be the referee. It took a little longer than usual… But I’m sure that those responsible made the best decision for tomorrow’s game.
– In tactical, technical and emotional terms, what can the internship that FC Porto carried out in the Algarve bring?
– It was very short, it was four days. But it was a very intense time. We did six sessions, five training sessions and one private session. The main objective was to bring everyone together in a different environment, to be able to be on different pitches. We managed to have moments where we worked tactically, there was the opportunity to present the dynamics to Thiago [Silva]and of course his curiosity helped us speed up this process. Tomorrow, in the first official game, it will be important for him to adjust. And after that, we did physical work taking into account what we will face in the future. It was very intense, very good volumes, and since we returned the focus has been on tomorrow’s game, with the desire to improve what we did previously. Emotionally, I think we came back with great energy and a feeling of being together. And I think that’s very special. It’s never about just one game or week, it’s all about the journey. And it was very important to try to make the most of this. The players did very well.
– Is there any possibility of Thiago Silva be a holder? Who will be in goal?
– It’s a possibility… Thiago played a lot of games in Brazil, then rested for a few days. He returned in excellent physical condition and is ready to start. But of course the decision will take several scenarios into account. But if necessary, you will be prepared. Goalkeepers? We’ll have time to see that…
– What can Oskar Pietuszewski add?
– He had his first group session with us this morning. It is possible that he will be in the squad tomorrow. He’s a player with a lot of quality, a young man who needs to evolve and adapt to a new country, a new league, demands… Of course, Bednarek and Kiwior’s help will speed up the process, but when you were born in 2008, even if you have great talent, it’s normal that you need some time…
– He renewed his contract with FC Porto this week. Are things going better than you planned? Does this increase the pressure to be champion?
– Increases responsibility to continue doing what we are doing. I already said that this is something that means a lot to me, it was a step that the club and the president decided to take. Of course, it’s not just about me, it’s about everyone’s work. Yesterday, when I returned, I thanked the players. Because, in the end, it was all because of the attitude they put on the pitch. I think it was a special moment, as if it were the end of a cycle that starts again tomorrow with this game. But [a renovação] It is aligned with the steps we want to take together. Of course we are now talking about the market, but the desire to continue building what we have done over these six months… We have a future full of challenges that starts with tomorrow’s game and, then, with the remaining competitions.
– When he arrived at FC Portothere was the idea that the FC Porto I needed a new identity. How did you manage to build this so quickly? Would a victory tomorrow help to validate this process?
– I need to correct you on something. We are still in a process. We cannot forget where we came from, the distances we had to our rivals. In recent years we have had a 29 point difference against Sporting, in the last five games with Benfica there has only been a draw and a victory… There is a difference that needs to be reduced and I think we are on a good path. Overall, the trajectory is positive and I think the desire to continue working together and renew this commitment goes in that direction. But of course nothing is done. We are in the middle of a race and there are still many games to go. You know how football can change very quickly. Tomorrow’s game is a game that will eliminate a team and that is the reality. That’s why all our energy and all our focus has to be there and on the next games. Would victory help? Of course results help, but I think what really matters is the work, the attitude, the desire to try to add something to what we are doing every day. I believe that by doing this, it will be easier to achieve results, win games… Results are, most of the time, a consequence of what we do during the week. And that’s what we defend, that’s what we fight for and that’s what the players are trying to do.
– What risk are you willing to take with Thiago Silva to break up the Bednarek-Kiwior duo? A few years ago, when Pepe arrived, a similar decision was made and it didn’t go well…
– Risk and opportunity. All changes are related to the way we see things. Of course, when you have Bednarek, who has been the best defender of the month four times… But the reality is that at the base there are several players who are doing very well, who help us not concede goals and win games. We have already used Pablo [Rosario] the central four or five times, Neuhén Pérez also at the beginning of the season, and Prpic… I understand the question, and it’s normal to think about it, but if we look back the answer is there. What we are doing goes beyond individualities, despite Jan [Bednarek] and Kiwior are having a fantastic season. But you need to look at who is around them. What we try to do is try to find the right solutions every day, the right balance. And as I always say, there is nothing more important than FC Porto. It’s not me, it’s not the players. The commitment is on the field, to give everything for the Porto family and for the people who will be at Dragão tomorrow and at home watching the game. Nothing more. This is our priority, our mindset, and we will continue to move in this direction.
