The Club Brugge coach wants to take advantage of the match against Benfica to overcome the negative phase and “leave his mark” in the Champions League, Scott Parker warned on Tuesday, anticipating the first leg of the round of 16.
“The last time I played in the Champions League was as a player. I’m excited and looking forward to this opportunity, as is the team, which has already come so far in an incredible way. It’s a great opportunity to make our mark on the competition “, pointed out the English coach, at a press conference.
Scott Parker hopes that the double confrontation with the Lisbon team can be a “turning point” and help the three-time Belgian champions overcome the cycle of poor results, with only one victory in the last 10 games, most in the championship. , in which he occupies fourth place, 20 points behind the leader Genk.
“There have been big improvements in the last few weeks in the way the team has played. We have very solid conditions, but we have not achieved victories. But this is a completely different competition, to be eliminated, which all players want. compete,” said the 42-year-old coach.
Scott Parker demanded “daring” from his athletes, to continue on the good European path, in which he finished ahead of Atlético de Madrid and Bayer Leverkusen in Group B of the first phase and just behind FC Porto, who won 4 -0 at home and lost by the same margin at home, still under the technical command of his predecessor, Carl Hoefkens.
“Of course I was very impressed. [com o desempenho na primeira fase da Liga dos Campeões]. It was a very difficult and competitive group and the fact that the club reached the round of 16 was a remarkable achievement”, he observed.
Scott Parker is aware of the “danger that Benfica represents”, a “very well organized team, intense and difficult to ‘break’, with good technique, a threatening attack and several players capable of causing problems” for the opponents.
“It is a different opposition to the one we found in the championship. It will put us in trouble, but we also have quality”, pointed out the English coach, who highlighted the “history” in this tie of the Ukrainian striker Roman Yaremchuk, transferred this season from Benfica to Club Brugge.
Scott Parker also spoke of the “good memories” he has of José Mourinho, “a world-class coach”, who guided the current Club Brugge coach when he played for Chelsea, recalling the “charisma” of the Portuguese.
The match between Club Brugge and Benfica, the first between the two clubs, in the first leg of the Champions League round of 16, takes place on Wednesday, at the stadium of the three-time Belgian champion, starting at 8:00 p.m. and the Italian referee Davide Massa.
Source: TSF
