Exciting game
“We tried to stay as calm as possible, but it was a very emotional game. It was a team victory, both for the starting eleven and for the players who came on, who performed very well. This was fundamental: the message I wanted to send was to keep believing in us. The three strikers scored three goals and these are three very important points for us.”
Impact of substitutions
“We thought about changes right at half-time, but we wanted to calm the team down. Then we transformed our system with two, with Arthur in the back row and Amdouni between the lines, where he is strong. In training, we get to feel the players’ moment, and over time we also get to know them better. It was a very good night, in a difficult stadium, against a difficult opponent. These nine points suit us well, just look at Arouca’s game. It is very important to continue this moment.”
Say Maria
“They are all decisive. I’ve been talking a lot with the strikers, to have a certain type of positioning that I like in a center forward, because then I’m sure that my colleagues will find them in the area. Di María is having a very good season, that’s what I expect from him. It’s income. He is an excellent man. This is my way of leading, trusting everyone, the team. They have to respect it, everyone has respected it.”
Accounts at Champions
“We want to get through to the next round, we have three games to go, but the focus is on Arouca. We have a very clear objective in the championship: by the end of the year, reduce the distance to the first place.”
