Benfica coach, Roger Schmidt, considers that this Friday’s victory against FC Porto “was very important” for the Luz club.
“It is never an easy test, especially against FC Porto. They have a lot of team and even with 10 they are dangerous, with long balls and set pieces. The team seemed focused, disciplined and showed patience to wait for the decisive moment. We put pressure on them. “We scored the goal and we deserved to win. It was very important,” said the coach in the BTV flash interview.
After a more difficult start for the eagles, Benfica came back in the most dominant half and scored the goal in the 68th minute.
Roger Schmidt explains what he told the team at half-time: “I told them that we had to play more like Benfica, increase the intensity and speed of the ball, have more players in the area, improve movements. There was potential to improve and “Got better. In the second half it was better.”
Asked about a more offensive eleven, since David Neres and Ángel Di María were starters at the same time, the coach assures that the team “always plays attacking”, although “not all attackers can always play.”
“Neres played well against Portimonense and is physically better now. He deserved to be a starter and all the attackers worked together,” reveals the coach.
For Roger Schmidt, these “direct duels” have a greater relevance in the result of the championship: “We can always score points. It is very important to win these games.”
Benfica beat FC Porto 1-0 this Friday, in a match corresponding to matchday 7 of the I Liga. The only goal of the match was scored by Ángel Di María, in the second half, after a first in which the expulsion of Fábio Cardoso stood out.
Source: TSF
