Benfica’s coach said this Saturday that the team is only focused on the I Liga soccer match against Estoril Praia and only then will they think about the Portuguese Cup, against the same rival.
In Seixal, Roger Schmidt recalled that “it is not the first time that the draws dictate a confrontation between two teams in a short space of time” and resorted to an old ‘cliché’ to address the two consecutive clashes against the ‘Canarias’, which They meet again on Wednesday.
“The next game is always the most important. Now, we are focused on Sunday, we will have information about this match and then we will be able to prepare for the second match, in the Cup, but step by step”, summed up the German coach. at a press conference.
The ‘incarnated’ team comes from “a demanding trip” to Israel for the match with Maccabi Haifa, scoring for the Champions League, but Schmidt revealed that the players “have rested a bit, they are fresher and eager to face a very good team.” , Estoril Beach.
“They play very good football, they are physically strong, they are brave in possession of the ball, they are clear about what they want to do with the ball and how they want to press. It will be a difficult game, but we are prepared”, praised the ‘Eagles’ coach.
For the visit to Amoreira, Schmidt will not be able to count on Aursnes, who is “out of the next three games”, nor on Draxler, “who has not yet been reincorporated into team training”, and only on Sunday will he find out if Gonçalo Ramos can play.
But António Silva, a central defender who was substituted in Wednesday’s game against the Israelis, is fully available.
“António Silva is very good, he has no complaints after the game. I replaced him not because of an injury, but to give Lucas [Veríssimo] a few minutes to reset it. Gonçalo Ramos is not so bad, but he is a doubt for tomorrow [domingo]. the fredrick [Aursnes] He is out for the next three games, he has a muscle injury and he will not be available,” he revealed.
Benfica visits Estoril Praia on Sunday, for the 12th round of the Portuguese Football League, starting at 8:30 p.m., at the Estádio António Coimbra da Mota, in Estoril, and refereed by Nuno Almeida (AF Algarve) .
Roger Schmidt’s team is looking to maintain its unbeaten record in the 2022/23 season and at least maintain a distance of six points from second-placed Sporting Braga and eight points from third-placed FC Porto.
The two teams will meet again on Wednesday, in the same place, but counting for the fourth round of the Portuguese Cup.
Source: TSF
