Cristiano Bacci pleased with Boavista’s mental development in difficult situations

Boavista have overcome their lack of options by increasing their mental toughness, coach Cristiano Bacci praised this Friday, ahead of the visit to invincible Famalicao on Saturday in the third round of the First Football League.

“I have spoken from the beginning about the psychological situation, which in my opinion is more important than tactics and technique. In this sense, the team has improved a lot and everyone thinks the same, whether it is defense or attack. We can improve, but I am satisfied,” the Italian coach said at a press conference.

Due to debts, FIFA has not allowed new players to be registered for four consecutive transfer windows, and the “Chessmen” are still unable to use reinforcements Ibrahim Alhassan and Bruninho, who were officially appointed in July, while there are 10 days left in the season on the market.

“Respect for the opponent is always the utmost, but we must think about our idea of ​​the game and where and how we can take advantage of the mistakes of the other. This is what we have been working on during the week to apply it in the games,” said Cristiano Bacci, who repeated the starting lineup in two official matches of the 2024/25 season and brought eight players under 21 out of nine to the bench in the last round of the championship.

Boavista started the season with a win over Casa Pia (1-0) in Rio Maior, before losing at home to Sporting Braga (1-0), reducing the competition’s top group to national champions Sporting, Porto, Moreirense, Vitória de Guimarães and Famalicao, all with two wins.

“Sometimes football is mathematics, in the sense that the Famalicao team has changed little since last season and therefore has a strong base of players who know each other well. This, of course, makes it easier for the coach. They started very strong and beat Benfica.” [2-0 em casa] and Estrela da Amadora [3-0 fora]“It will always be a difficult game, as we know, all the matches in the First League will be like that,” he said.

Cristiano Bacci ruled out comparisons with the previous season, when the “chess players” minimized the impact of FIFA restrictions with the best start to the championship in the 21st century, a result of four wins and a draw in the first five rounds, despite confirming their stay only in the 34th, final round, after a penalty was converted in favor of the then eliminated Wiesel (2-2) in 90+11 minutes.

“First of all, we have to be honest: we can’t compare last season with this one. It’s not hard to understand. The team is different. I’m not here to explain again how we work and what limitations we have. But it’s impossible to compare and I think it’s unfair. Every game is important for us and brings three points, home or away, we’ll try to win them all,” he said.

Brazilian goalkeeper Luis Pires remains unavailable through injury, while Colombian midfielder and captain Sebastian Perez, who was a substitute against Casa Pia and Sporting Braga, is “still not 100%” and has been physically treated “so that he can get into better shape” after a pre-season that was affected by a late integration into the work and myalgia in his left thigh.

Boavista, ninth with three points, will visit Famalicao, in the top quintet with six, on Saturday at 8:30 p.m. at the Famalicao Municipal Stadium in Vila Nova de Famalicao, in the third-place match of the first league round, refereed by David Rafael Silva of the Porto Football Association.