"Playing our football and securing qualification"

PREVIEW

Benfica faces Marseille this Thursday, April 18, in the second leg of the Europa League quarter-finals, scheduled for 8 pm in mainland Portugal. Neres launched the decisive clash, which will take place at the Marseille Stadium. 

Do you feel the team is confident for the game against Marseille?

Yes, we're very confident. We know what we have to do. We know it's going to be a difficult game, with their fans, but we're very confident, yes.

In a match where Benfica only need to draw to go through, do you think that will happen here in such a difficult atmosphere? You've already played Lille, Lyon, Nice and PSG, but is this going to be the toughest atmosphere you've encountered in the games you've played here in France?

From what I've heard, I think it's going to be the most hostile and difficult environment, but, as I said, we've got it in our heads what we have to do. We came here to play our football and to leave here with qualification.

Even playing away, do you think Benfica are the favorites to solve this problem and go through? With a team in 9th place in the league [Ligue 1] on the other side...

No. They're also a great team and, with the strength of their stadium, they're very strong. It's the same game. As we won there [at Estádio da Luz], they can win here too. We'll play our game, I really believe in this qualification.

Ten years on, Benfica is close to reaching the semi-finals of a European competition again. Does the team feel the importance and responsibility of the game? How does the team feel in this countdown to the match of all decisions?

I feel the team is very calm. As I said, we've come to play our football and I believe that if we play with the calmness of the last few matches, we'll be able to come away with a positive result.

After Sporting's win [in the Liga Betclic] on Tuesday, the gap to the leaders was fixed at seven points. So, I ask you, does this game and this competition, the Europa League, take on even greater importance?

A European competition is always very important. We know that, and we've been focused on it from the start. It's not because they [Sporting] have a bigger advantage now [in the Liga Betclic] that the importance increases or decreases [in the Europa League].