Arthur Jorge called Sporting’s victory over Benfica “very fair”.

Coach Artur Jorge today deplored the “fuss” caused by Benfica’s criticism of the refereeing of Thursday’s Copa Portugal match, stressing that “no one will take the credit” for Sporting Braga’s victory.

At the end of that quarter-final match, which Minho’s team won on penalties (5-4, after 1-1 at the end of regular and extra time), Benfica coach and president Roger Schmidt and Rui Costa, respectively, sharply criticized the refereeing of Thiago Martins.

“Sorry that there was too much noise compared to the previous game, but you can make as much noise as you like, no one is going to take away from us the merit of our victory, the potential that the team had and how it behaves and the work of the players,” said the coach on press conference dedicated to the visit to “Maritima” on Sunday for the 20th round of the I league.

According to the coach, “there is an attempt to devalue” the victory of Sporting Braga.

“We and our fans will certainly not allow themselves to be influenced or taken away from the road and they can continue to make as much noise as they want, no one takes the credit for a very fair victory for Braga against a strong Benfica but we were more competent,” he stressed.

Arthur Jorge said that “the team is mentally very strong and motivated” by beating the “incarnations”, but warned that Maritimo was looking to “get out of the uncomfortable position he was in”. [penúltimo]and therefore expects a “very strong and combative” adversary.

“Theoretically, given the classification, it’s easy” to agree that Minho’s team is the favourite, the coach said. be a very demanding game, as demanding as with Benfica, because Maritimo wants to get out of the uncomfortable position he is in,” he said.

Already physically, Thursday’s game left “a bit of a dent”, showing that the club’s technical team and other departments have “extra work to rebuild the players to be in better conditions” against the Islanders.

Al-Musrati and Youri Medeiros, penalized, are certain missing players whom the coach considered “important”.

“But I’m okay with it because we have a combat-ready squad and we have solutions to remain a competent team, I’m sure that these losses will not be felt,” he said.

On Thursday, Sporting de Braga hosts the Italians from Fiorentina, in the first leg of the playoffs reaching the 1/8 finals of the Europa League, a busy schedule, especially this month, which the coach is hosting.

“There will always be a very short distance between games and it takes physical and emotional management to deal with successes and eventually some failures,” he said.

Niakate left complaining about the “incarnates”, but the manager said that it was a matter of fatigue and that the French central defender was available, as was the whole group, with the exception of Gorby, who was injured and suspended.

Sporting de Braga, who finished third with 43 points, and Maritimo, who finished 17th with 13, will face each other from 20:30 on Sunday at the Maritimo Stadium in Funchal. The referee will be Rui Costa from the port. association.