Paulo Freitas: FC Porto reach Continental Cup final, undisputed win | OneFootball

Coach Paulo Freitas did not hide the difficulties that FC Porto had to overcome against Igualada; he guaranteed, however, that he was not surprised by the performance of the Catalans and considered the Dragons’ qualification deserved.

“I was expecting a team with this very strong physical profile, defending with low lines, with many players crowded inside the box. We had to have the ability to shrink them, to stretch them, and do that more than once to create the necessary spaces so that we could have clearer chances to finish, but I think the victory is beyond dispute. It only came in the penalty shootout, but it could very well have happened during the 50 minutes, or the 60 minutes,” commented the Porto coach, acknowledging that “extra time was very tight”: “Overall, I think the team responded well. They were aggressive, dynamic, intense, and produced enough to score more goals, but the way they defended—and we knew that could happen—obviously made it difficult for us to finish.”

As for the rematch with OC Barcelos and his outlook for tomorrow’s final, Paulo Freitas was categorical in describing the emotional context of the encounter and his desire to continue the path of success.

“Gratitude is a value I pass on to my children, and I am very grateful to OC Barcelos. I was very happy here, but I am also very grateful to FC Porto for the opportunity they gave me. Tomorrow, this may, perhaps, at an early stage, even before the game starts, bring a mix of emotions, but above all, I want to be happy again and that means winning a title against an opponent who will also face many difficulties. Above all, what is most important right now is to ensure the players recover well. We will analyze OC Barcelos again, because we have already had the chance to face them recently, but now there isn’t much time and, as I have said for a long time: finals are not to be played, finals are to be won,” explained Paulo Freitas.

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇵🇹 here.