“We leave here together and united”

POST-MATCH

The SC Braga-Benfica, match of the final round (34) of the Liga Betclic, held at the Braga Municipal Stadium on Saturday, May 17, ended in a draw (1-1), and the goal set was not achieved.

GAME ANALYSIS

"It was a strong start from us, we had two good chances to score, either from Barreiro or Pavlidis. We didn't manage it, the penalty came, well analyzed by the VAR, who called the team manager to look at the image and make the decision. I feel that up until that point, SC Braga hadn't done anything dangerous to put themselves in front, but they did it. The team was always chasing the result, we tried to correct some positions at half-time, to make the changes enough to score 2 goals, but we only managed to score 1. And so we didn't win the game, which was important, we didn't win the league, and I'm very sorry for our fans, because I know what it means to win the league. Here I am taking responsibility for that, I know how much it means, and the pain it is for our fans, not to win the league. But I have to tell you that I'm extremely proud of my players because, in these 8 and a half months of work, they've given everything, they've always gone along with our ideas, they've gone to the last minute running for the team, running for our ideas. So I'm tremendously proud of them, and I'd like to take this opportunity to congratulate Sporting, who won the Championship."

A TROPHY TO WIN

"[Adjectives to describe the lost season to Sporting] Your question leads us to the fact that it's a lost season because we lost the league, but we still have a trophy to win, and I think we've done a lot of work throughout the season. So my analysis of the season isn't just about losing the league. We know how much it means not to win the league at Benfica, not to offer our fans the league. We know that, we've already won a trophy, we have to recover as quickly as possible, leave here together and united as we got here. As difficult as it may be, because of the pain we're feeling right now and also our fans, we need to renew our energy as quickly as possible and focus all our attention on the Portuguese Cup match."

GRATEFUL TO BENFICA AND THE PRESIDENT

"[Clarification about the future] What I can tell you, with regard to the issue we've been putting off, is that I owe Benfica a lot, I'll never repay Benfica in the same way, because I came here at the age of 27 to coach the Under-11s, and it was here that I was formed as a man, as a coach, and no matter how many titles I win, I'll never be able to repay Benfica in the same way. I'm very grateful to Benfica for this return, I'm very grateful to the President for betting on me - and my return is along the lines you've just said - but I'll never be a problem. My return to Benfica was to be a solution and not a problem. I talk to our President all the time, and whenever we have the chance, we talk about what our opinions are. Surely, in the near future, we'll have the opportunity to talk about that, about what my vision is, what my opinions are on certain subjects. It's just my opinion, but what's important to emphasize is that there is work to be done. I'm not going to mention it point by point, but the recovery we've made in terms of points in the league... It's true that, at one point or another, we were ahead and weren't able to maintain that position, but when I look back and see that difference in points, that difference in goals, we've managed to get closer... To get here and win. That's the fact, we lost the league. We won the League Cup, we did what we did in the Champions League, and today we're proud to talk about other players who, when we first came here, weren't talked about in that way... So, as far as my future is concerned, the most important thing is Benfica's future, continuing on the right path to win titles and, as I said, I'll give up everything if I feel I'm the problem and no longer the solution."

8 MONTHS OF WORK

"[Does being champion once in six years imply deep reflection?] My Championship is missing, don't forget, 2018/19 [smiles]. We can do the math for 7 [years] and you add mine [smiles]. The most important thing was what I said: congratulations to Sporting, who finished two points clear in the league. That analysis of whether Sporting were fair winners or not is for you to make, just like the analysis of Benfica. You weren't even including my title, and I've only been here for 8 months. Now, when I look at it from the perspective of the 6 years in which, curiously, I wasn't here, I see that this Sporting team was built 4 or 5 years ago; this is the same team that brought in 3 players at the end of August, brought in 4 players at the beginning of January, plus 3 or 4 players, like Pavlidis, who arrived at the beginning of the season, and I've had 8 months to work with."