The Benfica coach said this Saturday that the Reds are having a “great season”, like Sporting, their next opponents in the I Football League, and has set himself the task of “showing a good reaction” against the Lions.
“Sporting is having a very good season, they have won almost all their games, they have a draw. But if we win, we’ll be in first place, and that’s it. So they’re having a great season and so on. we,” he said. Roger Schmidt in Seixal at a press conference to announce the derby.
Despite Wednesday’s 3-1 defeat to Real Sociedad, which left the Reds with no chance of reaching the last 16 of the Champions League, the coach recalled that his players had already achieved “good performances under pressure in this season”, namely “in a very important Super Cup game against Porto, which Benfica won 2–0.
He admitted that “everyone is very upset” by Wednesday’s defeat, but insisted he felt a “good reaction” from the group at training, as well as “dissatisfaction with the result”, and defended his players. who, he says, “they’re not perfect, but they’re always very motivated and have a great attitude.”
“We are ready to prepare today and tomorrow [domingo] in the ideal sense to play a great game and show it to our fans. Because it is important that our fans feel from the very beginning that we are ready to fight for the title this season,” the German said.
Analyzing Sunday’s opponent, Schmidt recalled that “Sporting did not start last season very well” and “lost a lot of points at the beginning”, but they were always a “competitive and difficult” team.
Regarding the tactical formation his team will use against the Lions, he did not specify whether he would continue to rely on a three-centre back system, as in the last three matches, or revert to a four. -protection scheme, but he reiterates that both options are valid.
“We have to think about what is the best approach for tomorrow. [domingo]. I have already explained that both schemes are possible, with both we can play the same football. The question is how we implement this in practice,” he said.
On Sunday, Benfica will host Sporting in the 11th round of the 1st Portuguese Football League, which is scheduled to start at 20:30 at the Estádio da Luz in Lisbon, and will be refereed by Arthur Soares Dias of the Portuguese Football Association.
Roger Schmidt’s team remains second in the standings, three points behind the Lions, and will move into the championship lead, level on points with Sporting, if they beat the Lions.
Ruben Amorim’s team leads the I League with nine wins and a draw from 10 matches already played and could increase their lead over their opponents to six points if they win at the Estádio da Luz.
Author: Lusa
Source: CM Jornal
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