Player reactions: “Raise our heads”

In their analysis of Newcastle-Benfica (3-0), a round 3 Champions League game played on Tuesday, October 21, at St. James' Park, Otamendi, António Silva and Pavlidis lamented the result achieved in England but already looked ahead to the challenges that lie ahead.

OTAMENDI

"Hard to digest..."

"In the first 30 minutes, when we were playing better, we conceded that goal. It was a game with a big score, but I think it was due to details that we conceded goals that we shouldn't have. The Champions League is played at this pace, and even when you're at your best, you can concede. [Difficult future in the Champions League] It's difficult, but we'll fight until the last game. The most important thing is to recover, because next weekend we have an important game against Arouca. We'll see about the Champions League later on. We'll try to get the three points in the next game. [Difficulty scoring goals] We need to score, but we also need to be a reliable team. When we don't win, we can't blame the forwards for not converting, or the defenders for not defending. Here, we are a team. When we lose, we all lose, and when we win, we are all happy. That's how it is. [Club elections] No, all that is beside the point. The most important thing is to focus on soccer and give our best in every game. Always try to bring joy to our fans. Both in the Championship and in the Champions League, we try to give our best and score points. [What has the team been lacking?] These are difficult defeats because, as I said, in the first 30 minutes we were more confident with the ball and created chances, we hit the post, we created chances between the lines. The truth is that it's difficult to digest the result, but with the experience of our coach [José] Mourinho, the most important thing is to lift our heads up and believe in the next game. [Why didn't you speak after the game?] I needed to be in the locker room with my teammates. I told Gonçalo [Guimarães, Benfica's press director] that I would be here, in the mixed zone. Sometimes, after a defeat, the most important thing is to be with my teammates, to communicate, to convey feelings. After a defeat, the most important thing is to hold your head high. We have an important game this weekend, and we will try to give our best."

ANTÓNIO SILVA

"The result is a bit unfair"

"We had two or three chances to make it 0-1. We went into halftime losing, which I think was unfair. Then, in the second half, with the second goal, I think it ends up being difficult for us to turn the result around. The result is a little unfair given what we did, especially in the first half, but that's soccer, and on Saturday [October 25] we already have a game to win. [Newcastle's intensity] They are a typically British team. They are a team that, in transitions, in set pieces... the intensity of the Championship, of course, makes a difference. We tried to match them as much as possible, but it wasn't possible. [Tomás Araújo's adaptation on the left] The impact was positive. The goal was set, and I think we interpreted Tomás' position in this game well on the field. As I said, in the first half, we had many opportunities to score. It wasn't possible, and we lost in the first half. And the second half is what it is. We conceded two goals, and I think we're going to Lisbon with a heavy result. [Impact on Benfica's Champions League campaign] Nothing, we know what the Club demands, we know that there are 15 points up for grabs. We know it's possible, we are Benfica, and we have the ability to do it."

PAVLIDIS

"We had some good chances in the first half"

"In the first half, we had good chances to score, but we couldn't convert them. In the second half, we fell apart after their second goal, and it was a difficult night for us."