"Going into the competition with huge ambition"

PREVIEW

In the preview of Boca Juniors vs. Benfica on Monday, June 16, which believe that both teams are viewing this World Cup as an opportunity to showcase themselves to the world, to showcase their football, and for the players to showcase and represent their clubs at the highest level.h marks the Eagles' debut in the Club World Cup, Bruno Lage revealed that his team will have to be at their best to achieve the goal set for matchday 1 of Group C: to play a great game and win the three points.

How important is Benfica's presence in this World Cup, and what are the prospects for this match between two historic symbols of world football?

The perspective is for us to feel the importance of the competition and the prestige we can bring to the Club. So it is with great pleasure that we are here, and our intention is to play a great game and win the first game of the competition.

Bayern already showed their full strength today by beating Auckland City 10-0. Is this game against Boca decisive for Benfica?

It's an important game. We're in a short competition, so we have to approach it in the same way... put ourselves in the shoes of Benfica's “coach.” There are three games, just like in the World Cup, and we know how important it is to earn points. This game is very important. We know our opponent, we had the opportunity to analyze Boca and also some of the current coach's teams. That's what's most important, that we're prepared to win the three points.

What is your analysis of Boca Juniors? What are the main strengths of Miguel Ángel Russo's team, and how do you think the game will unfold?

I think it will be a very competitive game. We had the opportunity to analyze Boca Juniors. Previously, with the other coach [Fernando Gago], they played in a 4-4-2 diamond formation. We believe that tomorrow [Monday, June 16], the team may play in a 4-4-2 formation, but in a traditional 4-4-2. Our question is whether they play with two strikers or one man behind the striker. I believe that Boca's strength is playing as a team. They play together, they play compactly, they are a fierce team, and we have to be at our best because we are really going to play against a great team. Boca also knows that they will be playing against a great team, and my perspective here is that it will be a great game. 

You will be facing one of the teams with the most fans and support. Have you analyzed that? What do you know about Boca Juniors? What do you know about the club's history? What do you think about the possibility of facing a team with such strong fan support?

We also have the advantage of having fans everywhere. I believe that tomorrow there will also be lots of Benfica fans cheering us on. The tactical issue is what I already mentioned: our perspective is that Boca Juniors will play in a 4-4-2 formation, a solid, compact, very aggressive team, with a lot of speed on the wings and interesting dynamics with the two men up front. I believe it will be a great game, but there is one factor we have to take into account: the weather conditions. That's the big question for tomorrow's game. I think both teams are seeing this World Cup as an opportunity to show themselves to the world, to show their football, and for the players to show and represent their clubs at the highest level. In addition to the game, we'll have the challenge of playing at 6 pm in the heat and humidity.

Tomorrow [Monday] you will have the support of the fans, and among them will be João Félix. If you met him, do you think you could convince him to join Benfica?

João [Félix] has already spoken about this situation. They all want to return to Benfica. Now, we have to create the opportunity, and they have to show their desire to come to Benfica. At the moment, these two desires have to come together: our opportunity and the financial issue, which is very important. We must not forget that João left five years ago for 120 million [euros], and now, of course, there has to be a cost, either for a loan or for the purchase of a percentage of his transfer rights. And then, on the other side, there is the player's salary, which is why I tell you that there has to be willingness. There is plenty of willingness, and the financial side also has to be there on both sides.

We have been following Benfica's training sessions throughout the week, and the players have been talking about taking each game as it comes and getting through the group stage. As a coach, what would make you happy, what would constitute a job well done?

We have to be careful to enter this competition with enormous ambition. You have been following the training sessions and have also felt what we have been feeling, which is the enormous heat. That has to be the factor in our team's adaptation to the competition. There are several points in which this World Cup is different from a World Cup for national teams. The last time I was with the team was about two or three weeks ago. I've been with the players for two or three days, some of them have arrived from their national teams. We have to look at them and, in a short competition, understand very well who can give us immediate energy and who can bring us closer to the performance we had three weeks ago. That has to be a very interesting point. Our approach to the game, as coach and technical team, is to feel that we can be the coach and the selector, and face the competition in that way, as truly a World Cup of national teams. We have a huge ambition to get through the group stage. Weather conditions like these, our way of playing... If we achieve that first goal, with knockout games, just one game and not two legs, we must be determined and very committed, because we can have a good campaign. Tomorrow's game will be interesting, a test of what we left behind three weeks ago. We have now assembled the team, and we will be competitive tomorrow against a great team, under these conditions, and then from there we can continue on our journey.

Do you think that European teams will dominate this tournament, or that South American teams, such as Argentina and Brazil, will perform well? There is a lot of talk about the difference between European and South American teams. What is your view on this?

That's the question you've been discussing for 20 or 30 years, and I don't know the answer today. In a month's time, we'll know the answer. I've had experiences on different continents, and what I can tell you is that weather conditions change the game. The game becomes different. It's the same football, it's the same game, you have the ball, you have the grass, you have the goals, it's 11 against 11, but the weather conditions and the time of the game transform the game. It will be very interesting to watch, because there are many teams and many cultures. Furthermore, it's not a question of national selection, because even we have hot-blooded Argentinians, we also have hot-blooded Turks. So it will be very interesting to see that during the competition. Therefore, it will be a very interesting game because of that. They are a great team that plays as a team, and we are also a great team that plays as a team. Both teams are full of individual talents, many with a long history, as is our case, with world champions, or the Portuguese who recently won the Nations League... Therefore, it will be one of the most interesting matches throughout this World Cup, and that question will be answered later on. 

At this point, it is inevitable to talk about the market. We talked about departures, and I would like to ask you if the fact that Belotti and Renato Sanches are here could be a sign that they will stay for the new season.

We are approaching this competition with the following mindset: the past is behind us, and the upcoming season is not included at this time. What I can assure you is that, solely due to the departure of Di María, which has been confirmed, the team will be different next season. Therefore, at this moment, the past is closed, and this is not the time to discuss the future. What I can assure you is that the future is being prepared, and we have clearly identified what we need to fill in our team in order to present a team and a squad of the highest quality. That is all I have to say about the transfer market.