The coach Roger Schmidt said this Friday that Benfica is ready to fight for the title until the last day of the I Liga and prefers to look at the current moment of the team instead of the past.
In a press conference prior to the game against Sporting Braga, Schmidt recalled that Minho’s team “still wants to compete for first place” in the championship, but stressed that his team has shown in the last two weeks that it is “back”. and willing to leave the rival out of the ‘race’.
“We had a good week of training, the players are fresh. The two goalless games were good for the confidence of the team. We are ready to fight for the championship until the last day and for tomorrow’s fight [sábado] as [Sporting de] Braga”, shot the coach, in Seixal.
Benfica lost 3-0 in the visit to the ‘Arsenalistas’, in the first round, and drew 2-2 with Sporting, results that, if repeated, could cost them first place, if FC Porto and Sporting de Braga do not they lose more points, but the coach recalled that “there is no point in thinking about those games” that were played “half a year ago”.
“These games had their history and we didn’t win, but they don’t have an impact tomorrow. [sábado]. We have four games left for the end of the season, we are four points ahead of FC Porto and six ahead of [Sporting de] Braga, we play at home against the third place, I look more at the current situation. At this point in the season there’s no point in looking back.”
The match on round 31 of the championship could therefore be decisive in the title and Schmidt, when asked about the “key” to defeat Minho’s team, stressed that it will be “decisive” for the team to remain focused. about what he wants to “do on the field” and play at his “best”.
“Playing for Benfica and believing in ourselves. We have shown many times this season that it doesn’t matter which opponent we play against. In international matches and in big matches against Portuguese teams, we always try to play our game”, the coach pointed out. red’.
Benfica will receive Sporting de Braga on Saturday, in a match of the 31st round of the Portuguese Football League, scheduled for 8:30 p.m., at the Estádio da Luz, in Lisbon, with the refereeing of Luís Godinho (AF Evora).
The team led by Roger Schmidt comes from two consecutive victories in the championship, leads the standings with four points more than FC Porto and six more than Sporting de Braga, and needs “only” to win three of the four games remaining for dispute. national champion 2022/23.
Until the end of the season, the ‘incarnados’ host Sporting de Braga on Saturday, visit Portimonense and Sporting in the next two rounds, and close the season at home against Santa Clara.
Source: TSF
