Roger Schmidt: "Our challenge is to maintain this level"

BTV REPORT

Roger Schmidt attended the 22nd UEFA Elite Coaches Forum, which took place this Monday, November 14, in Nyon. At the end of the work session in Switzerland, the coach spoke to the press addressing several topics.

Benfica coach was part of a session to share knowledge and discuss issues of utmost importance in international football, where Christophe Galtier (Paris Saint-Germain), Oliver Glasner (Eintracht Frankfurt), Paulo Fonseca (Lille), David Moyes (West Ham), Erik ten Hag (Manchester United) and Rafa Benítez (no club) were also. Also participating in the video conference were: Carlo Ancelotti (Real Madrid), Luciano Spalletti (Napoli), Stefano Pioli (Milan), and Thomas Tuchel (no club).

Going back to the starting point of this season: what ideas did you transmit to your players in the first match?

We spoke about what we needed to b especial, to have a successful season. It was clear that we needed basic strengths, that is, we had to work hard and become a team with a very well-defined game idea. We focused on these topics to develop our work.

Do you worry about how the team will react when it loses a game?

That is not my way of thinking... Of course, someday we will lose a match. We are not invincible. That’s part of football. We try to look only to the next match, that's our approach. To think about one game and focus on it, rather than looking further ahead. If we are completely focused on a game, we can always win it. One day, when we lose, we will also know how to manage the situation.

Do you think it will be necessary to readjust the team in January?

As professionals, we always have to think about that possibility. That is the reason why the transfer window opens. Doing anything in this period depends on the choices we have and the analyses we make. We have good options and quality players, but to create a perfect balance in the team, the summer transfer window is not enough. We always have to make some adjustments, but in our case, it's not a big need. We will analyze the market and then see if we do anything. 

Benfica has the best attack, the best defense, and the top scorer of the Liga Bwin. How far can the team go?

Continuing at this level, we can finish as the national champions. That’s our main goal. Only 13 rounds have been played, we have many games ahead of us. Nothing is done or accomplished, we compete with other teams of great level and there are always surprises in the League, there are many good teams. We know there is a lot of quality. We can’t "stop" because we have a few points lead in the Championship. We have done a good job so far, so we are eight points ahead, but we have to keep going.

What is your assessment of what you have already achieved this season?

To be honest, we haven't achieved anything yet. What we have achieved so far is reaching the group stage of the Champions League and then qualifying for the round of 16. Something that is the fruit of our work, as well as the fact that we are still playing in all competitions. The challenge now is to maintain this level, keep working hard, and never lose focus. We also need to remember what we did to be at this level. We have to show that, and if everything goes well, we can really achieve something important at the end of the season.

How playing time can be improved in Portugal?

Today we saw statistical data on this subject, and it was very interesting: it is not so clear that the effective playing time in Portugal is much lower than in other leagues. The obvious fact is that the effective playing time in the Champions League is superior to the leagues. What we have to do, in the Portuguese League and in the other Leagues, is to look at the Champions League level and have it as a goal, a reference that can serve as a guide. Everyone wants to see the downtime in a match reduced.

One of the topics of this Forum was the new format for the European competitions. What do you think about these changes? Will they bring even more fans to the game?

It's interesting to think about a new approach. Of course it's difficult because it means we'll have to play more matches. The calendar is already very full, but I think the idea of having more opponents is good, as well as a new situation with the ranking. We'll see what the final format, the final approach will be, but it could be a great idea. For the fans, it can also be interesting. Playing against eight opponents, from different countries and leagues, can be differentiating. 

Do you plan to return here next year as a coach who won the Champions League? Is it possible and is it a dream?

[Laughs] Will see what is possible to achieve this season. What we have achieved, for now, is to be part of the Champions League after the new year. It was the first step we took, and now in each round, we have to do our best to try to move forward. We have to be focused game by game and not dream about something still far away. Let's keep this approach, and then everything is possible.

Is it important to be here in Nyon, in this Forum?

It's always good to talk with other colleagues. We get to know each other when we face each other, but usually we don't have time to talk. It's good to be here and have an afternoon to talk about some topics, hear some opinions. It's also good for UEFA.