Arouca wants to reverse history again against Sporting, on Sunday, in a matchday 28 match, and score for the first time in the sixth visit to Alvalade for the First Football League, coach Armando Evangelista confirmed this Sunday.
“Although it seems not, Sporting is going through its best moment in the competition, with six victories in the last seven games and expressive victories at home by its fans. Our intention is to seek the best possible result and continue making history. “said the technician, at a press conference.
The Arouquenses achieved unprecedented success in the first round match, at home (1-0, on matchday 11), but fell to the ‘lions’ in the League Cup semifinals (1-2), in Leiria, which now has a reunion of “different characteristics” with the fourth classified in the I Liga.
“We have to be what we have been up to now, establishing a strategy based on what Sporting has been and what we are capable of doing, trying to get the best out of each of our athletes and hoping that it will be a day that can make smile. This is a game and sometimes we have to have a lucky star, as the differences are huge”, he pointed out.
Arouca arrives isolated in Alvalade in fifth place, the last to access European competitions next season, and can even capitalize on the defeat suffered on Friday by Vitória de Guimarães, sixth ranked, in Famalicão (1-2), at the start of the trip.
“If the stars align and we are convinced that we can really surprise… I usually say that the worst thing that can happen to us in these games is to go in afraid of losing. If not, we are probably closer.” to the goal The mentality has to be a bit like that”, observed Armando Evangelista.
Devaluing the fatigue of Sporting, who lost on Thursday in the visit to Italian Juventus (1-0), in the first leg of the Europa League quarterfinals, the coach praised the timing of the Serra da Freita club, who conceded a single goal in the last six games, a period in which he added 14 points out of 18 possible and never lost.
“When we don’t suffer we are closer to winning. We know how difficult it is to face a team that is going to have more possession of the ball and more play in our area than usual, but the numbers tell us that we have had a great evolution. The games are a reflection of that and I hope the season ends with that defensive consistency,” he said.
Out of Armando Evangelista’s options are the Brazilians Weverson and Vitinho, the Ivorian Ismaila Soro and the Palestinian Oday Dabbagh, all injured, in a phase in which Arouca has already achieved the primary objective of staying in the top division.
“We know the difficulties we have in First Division and we cannot stand on our toes. In fact, we have been responsible and competent and it seems to me that what we have achieved up to now is the result of that path.” work for the points we have and it is not only the coach, but also the athletes, the management and the employees. It is only possible with that responsibility of all ”, he concluded.
Arouca, in fifth place, with 44 points, will face Sporting, fourth, with 57, on Sunday at the Estádio José Alvalade, in Lisbon, starting at 8:30 p.m., in a match that will be refereed by Vítor Ferreira , from the Braga Football Club Association.
Source: TSF
