Farense coach, Tozé Marreco, said this Monday that his team has to be prepared to suffer and be assertive to exploit Benfica’s defects, in Tuesday’s round of 16 game of the Portuguese Cup.
“My focus is that we have to control the little things that we encounter. In ‘large’ teams, there are fewer defects, there are fewer things to explore. Being very assertive at this moment in what we have to explore and we know what we have to explore. And then, put aggression, belief, will, knowing that in some moments, we will probably have to suffer and we will have to suffer together”, said Tozé Marreco, at a press conference.
Asked about the ‘reds’ motivation being stronger after winning the League Cup against Sporting on Saturday (7-6 in the penalty shoot-out, after 1-1 in regulation time), the Algarve coach considered the topic “ a false question.”
“If I hadn’t won the League Cup, [o Benfica] I wanted to turn things around. Therefore, it is a situation that we Farense, and I, the coach, do not control, and on which I do not focus much, knowing that there can be more confidence, obviously, because it is winning a title. But if that weren’t the case, the motivation would certainly come from other premises and other moments”, he stressed.
Regarding the opponent, Tozé Marreco added that his focus, as a coach, is “knowing the construction with Kökçu in the corridor, knowing the game of runners he has, very strong with Bah, with Di María, with Carreras on the other side, with Aktürkoglu, with the dynamics that change a lot with Di María coming into the internal game and unlocking it”, he explained.
In the I League, the two teams met at the Algarve Stadium in November last year, with the Algarve team losing 2-1, but this time the match will be held at the São Luís Stadium, which, “sportingly, is an advantage” , admitted the Farense coach.
“It’s our stadium, we know the strength we have here, which we want to continue having and, being a knockout game, anything is possible. I have my feet very firmly on the ground, I know our reality very well, I know very well the difficulties we are going to face, now, I think it is also time to dream, knowing what we have to do. It’s an elimination game, anything can happen. Dream, know what we have to do”, he highlighted.
Tozé Marreco added that his team “is getting very strong, in terms of positions”, and the group is “all heading in the same direction”, data confirmed by the results: in the last eight official games, the Algarve team suffered only one defeat.
With Spanish defender Marco Moreno out due to suspension, the coach said that defender Tomás Ribeiro, for now the only winter reinforcement, should be called up and announced that Ricardo Velho will be the starter in goal, highlighting once again the Portuguese guardian’s season. .
“I already said it, for me it’s the best [guarda-redes português]I have no doubts about that. Honorably, and speaking openly again, it is normal that at the end of the season he leaves, because he deserves other flights. It’s the players who have to be admired, because he was never a great promise. It’s at the expense of his work, his dedication, what he does every day,” he said.
and Benfica face each other on Tuesday in a round of 16 match of the Portuguese Cup scheduled for the São Luís Stadium, in Faro, at 8:15 pm, refereed by Hélder Malheiro, from the Lisbon association.
In this edition of the ‘queen’ competition of Portuguese football, the Algarve defeated Sanjoanense (4-2), from Liga 3, and Arouca (2-1), from I Liga, both away, while the ‘reds’ eliminated Pevidém (2- 0, away), from the Portuguese Championship, and Estrela da Amadora (7 to 0, home), from the I League.
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