FC Porto only changes goalkeepers for the last round of the I Liga to receive Arouca on Wednesday in the eighth finals of the Portuguese football cup, coach Sérgio Conceição announced today.
“The confidence is total. There will be no management because the exact same team that was in Jamor will play, except for the goalkeeper. I never do this.” [de anunciar o onze inicial]but it’s the first time”recognized the technician during a press conference.
Cláudio Ramos is now preparing to replace Diogo Costa and maintain his fitness as an absolute starter in the 2022/23 edition of the Queen’s League, joined in the usual ‘4-4-2’ by defenders João Mário, Fábio Cardoso, Iván Marcano and Wendell, midfielders Marko Grujic, Matheus Uribe, Otávio and Galeno and forwards Gabriel Veron and Mehdi Taremi.
“I hope to find the Arouca that we are used to: a capable team, making an excellent journey, both in the cups and in the championship. It is a game that must be eliminated and in which we must be in any case.” , the same team as the game. of the Premier League”he noted, referring to the home defeat against Arouquenses (5-1), in the 14th round, on December 28, 2022.
FC Porto, second most titled, with 18 scepters, and current holder of the trophy, left behind Anadia, of Liga 3, and Mafra, of II Liga, in the previous stages of the Taça de Portugal, with Arouca the tertiary Fontinhas defeated and the also first division Gil Vicente.
“Occasionally opponents tend to change strategy and dynamics in the offensive and defensive process against us. We can’t guess that, but we have to prepare and be skilled to try to dismantle what they can prepare, something that has to do with the form of being in the game. It’s important to be at our maximum level. Frankly, there have been many more times where we did well than not so well.”analysed.
Sérgio Conceição pulled out of Saturday’s draw with Casa Pia (0-0), in the 15th round of the championship, to regret a “less successful” performance, but wants the dragons to have “non-negotiable characteristics” preserve and “a little point Lucky”.
“Defensively we played a super balanced game. Casa Pia didn’t have a shot on target. I don’t care much about stats but we had over 75% possession and 15 shots to none in the second half. [Manchester] City in the Champions League, where we had to defend against the power of that team and I was heavily criticized for not being able to reach the goal, but then I see competence and defensive solidity in the others. I’m used to it”shot.
The geese acted numerically inferior during the complementary phase, due to the expulsion of the Brazilian Lucas Soares, after 45+1 minutes, without the national champions managing to score for the 12th game in a row and empty for the first time since the defeat were left against Benfica (0-1), on matchday 10, on October 21, 2022.
“If we are not at the maximum of our potential, it is difficult to win games today. The teams, namely in their defensive organization, and I am talking about the internal competitions, have capacity and competence, they are more at the back, the space.” within the offensive third is not the same and other things are needed, such as the diversity of moves”warned.
FC Porto dropped to third in the league, with 33 points, one below runners-up Sporting de Braga, and were seven points behind leaders Benfica, with nine of their 12 points wasted on visits to Rio Ave, Estoril Praia, Santa Clara and Casa Pia.
“I also do this soul-searching and look at some not very normal situations that occurred. After the 3-0 against Sporting, we lost in Vila do Conde. After the nice victory in Bruges for the Champions League, we drew against Santa Clara. There are games where the quality and beauty may not be the best, but we need to give a different kind of response. It’s up to us to work. The way we need to evolve is in that direction.”he stressed.
Sérgio Conceição remains without Francisco Meixedo, Pepe, Nigerian Zaidu and Brazilian Evanilson, all injured, for the reception to seventh place of the I Liga, in a duel between the only two primary clubs involved in the two internal cups.
“The preparation of the matches is always done with a lot of enthusiasm and competence from everyone. There are days when things don’t go so well. The positive energy has to do with always being on the edge in the different moments of the match. attentive to being more consistent and trying to find the firmness that allows us to get to a [inteira] with only one defeat, just like last year. We search within this house to always win and find that perfection, which is often not easy”he concluded.
FC Porto will receive Arouca on Wednesday at 8:45 pm at Estádio do Dragão, in Porto, in a match for the round of 16 of the Portuguese Cup, with referee João Gonçalves, from the Porto association, where the winner will face Académico de Viseu, of the II Liga, or Beira-Mar, of the Portuguese championship, fourth national level, in the next round.
In the case of triumph in his 300th game, Sérgio Conceição will surpass José Maria Pedroto as coach with more victories achieved for the blue and white club, with 216.
Source: DN
