Despite having left Alvalade with a heavy defeat against Sporting (6-0)and respective elimination from the Portuguese Cup, Álvaro Madureira, coach of Amarante, did not hide his pride in the “courage” of his pupils, who also highlighted the team's mutual help and the presence of the fans in the stadium. “We knew that our strategy would last until Sporting managed to impose their difference in quality, which is notable. There is no need to beat around the bush. Unfortunately the first goal came too early and the team had a bad time. We tried, even with the goal kick we wanted to play , in the first phase of construction. But Sporting's ability was noticed. We left here with a heavy defeat, but we tried not to.
Still, do you take away anything positive today?
“Of course. Having a group that wants to play in front of a packed stadium, wants to have the personality to make Sport run a little, not give away the ball for nothing… It takes courage. Even with the massive result, the team tried. We took it above this competitive attitude. It may seem like we didn't leave here with dignity, but we did.
What message did you send to the players at the end?
“I haven't passed yet, but I will say that I'm proud of them. Our championship resumes next week and we have to respond.”
For those who saw Amarante for the first time today, what can you say to these people?
“It was a totally different team today, we knew we couldn't have such a high pressure zone. If we had put 30 or 40 meters behind us, the result might have been different. But we are a team with potential and I think that shows in the route we are taking.
Diogo Vila, captain of Amarante, on Channel 11
Game reading…
“First of all, thank our fans for being there. We tried to give our lives for them. We knew and still know about Sporting's power. We suffered early and that shook the team a bit. Then we suffered the second and that added to our emotional exhaustion Then we tried to settle the game.
What positive points are there to take away? What can we expect from Amarante?
“After today, the bonds became even stronger. The result does not define our friendship and mutual assistance. Our union became even stronger. We will work to achieve our goal in the championship. Today we didn't achieve it, but we must praise the people who They came here from far away. We are still very moved by their presence and that is what we can take away from this game”.
What memories do you have from today's game?
“With the presence of our fans in particular, there are no words. It's a great pleasure to be here with Amarante. It's my club, the city where I was born, and I have no words to describe the joy I have for having been in this stadium so mythical with Amarante”.
Didi, Amarante goalkeeper, on Sport TV
What do you take away from this game?
“We left here very proud. We managed to show our quality in some way, we showed our ideas. We came as a family and we will leave as a family. We knew how difficult it was to beat Sporting, it was almost impossible. It's a completely different level. Still, Up top we got the best Sporting in history, I have no doubt.
What main differences do you notice in the difference in play between divisions?
“It's undoubtedly the players' individual technique. They make it look easy, they don't miss receptions or passes and they always find spaces. They have a different tempo and we're proud to have faced Sporting. We have to work to one day reach that level.”
Ka Semedo, Amarante striker, on Sport TV
What main difficulties did you experience in the game?
“Sporting is a very strong team in transitions and it was impossible to stop. With Sporting, playing like that, it wasn't easy, but we were proud because we tried to do everything. Now it's time to get back to our reality and work so that on Sunday we can be great in our championship “.
What does the team take from here in Alvalade?
“We have a feeling of pride, because we gave each other a hand and did everything, but it wasn't possible. Now it's time to work and prepare for our championship.”
Did you take many tips from Gyökeres and Harder?
“For sure. Of course we learned a lot from these players, it's a huge incentive, and we try to get the most out of what they did. It's putting it into practice in training and doing it next Sunday in the game.”
