Benfica welcomes this Friday at Luz (19:00) Vizela, the team that caused a lot of problems for Porto on the 2nd round (Marcano scored the winning goal only with a score of 1-0 in the 89th minute ), and Roger Schmidt makes sure he doesn’t get caught off guard. “We always follow the games of the opponents. We are ready for anything, morally and tactically,” the Eagles coach said this Thursday.
Recognizing that it’s nice to be in first place in the league, the German coach kept the bar high: “It’s a good moment. After four games, this is not particularly relevant. We are focused on what we are going to do in the next game and we are trying to improve everyone. If we deconcentrate, we won’t be able to play at this level anymore. For me, as a coach, it is very important to convey this to the players. We need to try to leave with three points, we need to be here and now, and also keep this attitude.
Speaking a few hours before the market closed, Schmidt left his final assessment of the line-up for this Friday, but still showed confidence: “I am very pleased with the line-up. Focus and concentration have been impeccable, the players are playing good football and we have tried to set up the squad in pre-season. We have to keep an eye on the market to see what players are available and then make decisions. It’s easier to get contracts early because there’s no pressure.”
“Losing some players during the season” alert
Roger Schmidt admitted this Thursday that he doesn’t know when he can count on Lucas Verissimo. This is when compatriots Joao Victor and Morato also get injured. As Vertonghen “wanted to leave”, the manager has only two centre-backs available for this Friday game, Otamendi and António Silva, who are “excellent options”. “That happens. We have to be prepared to lose some players as the season progresses,” defended the coach.
Author: Joao Moniz
Source: CM Jornal
