Roger Schmidt: "We want to play a football similar to what we have been playing"

PREVIEW

At a time when the National Championship is on hiatus due to the World Cup, Benfica will compete this Sunday in the League Cup, against Estrela da Amadora. The match is scheduled for 7 pm on November 20, at the Estádio Dr. Magalhães Pessoa. 

Benfica debuts in the League Cup in a week in which several players were absent, due to their presences in their national teams. How was it working the team? What do you expect from the game?

It was a very good week. We had very good training sessions, and it is special to be playing a new competition now, while the World Cup is going on, with many players absent. The decision to play the competition at this stage was made, and we have to accept it. We will give our best in this competition. We are in the group stage, and we will play with good clubs from the 2nd Tier. We will not underestimate these teams, and we have prepared very well. Furthermore, we see it as a positive thing that other players can play more minutes, and we are looking forward to playing.

Rafa is not with the National team in the World Cup. Will he play, or will you rest him?

I won't disclose the starting eleven [during the preview], but I didn't even think about having Rafa on the bench. He is in a great moment of form and eager to play. 

You have several absentees, particularly in the midfield. Will you change the tactics because of this?

We don't have Fredrik Aursnes, Paulo Bernardo and João Mário, but we will have solutions. I don't like to change too much, but you have to find the right tactical approach and it has been beneficial that the players have been getting used to their positions recently. We have good options for the game. We will have to change at least six players, but we want to play a football similar to what we have been playing.