Rui Vitória: “The focus is exclusively on us”

The Benfica's coach, Rui Vitória, previewed the match against Portimonense for the 22^nd week of Liga NOS, Saturday, at 8:30 pm. At the Caixa Futebol Campus' press conference room, he left some compliments to the "algarvios" and to Vítor Oliveira, their coach.

“It will be a difficult game. We will play in a field against a quality opponent. Team which is in a good moment, with positive results, which has been doing a work that I, necessarily, have to praise, for what Vítor Oliveira has been doing. Portimonense has good players, who were already good when playing in the Second Division. Many times they talk about a fashionable coach. Perhaps, in this case, the coach who is in fashion is Vítor Oliveira. He’s a role model for all of us, coaches, the younger and for the older”, he started to say.

“Salvio is out of the game”, he revealed right then.

Strong in the offensive moves, Portimonense has three key names to retain in the attack.

“Nakajima, Fabrício, Tabata… trident of the midfield and many good players. A well-organized team. We have that in mind. Portimonense has quality players. They are motivated. For us it is the continuation of what we have been watching. We have to pay attention to several aspects of the game and of the opponent”, he warned.

At the press conference they spoke about crisis and instability, in particular at Sporting, but Rui Vitória refused to address the issue.

“I have never spoken about crisis or instability. I don’t think that it is what’s going on and I’m not going to address that issue. The life of the other clubs is up to the other clubs. My focus is Sport Lisboa e Benfica”, he underlined.

And added: “There are 13 battles left. It is useless to be concerned about the others. The focus is exclusively on us. We have to live every day, and now it comes the match against Portimonense, a very difficult one. The life of the teams has more and less favorable paths. We only care about us and each one should think about their work.”

The Benfica’s coach did not revealed if Zivkovic will be a first option again, but showed himself happy for feeling that the entire group might be important.

“Whoever plays, we have something that is a richness: the players feel that they are close to play any time, that they can decide and be important”, he considered.

The Liga NOS is close to an end, but Rui Vitória refuses the anxiety among the squad.

“When we are focused on our matches, any negative anxiety disappears. We have another opportunity to compete, to win, showing what we have showed last Saturday. We live each one of the 90 minutes that we dispute”, he concluded.

Text: Marco Rebelo

Pics: Isabel Cutileiro / SL Benfica