“At this club, you have to win, whether it’s competitive or a friendly” | OneFootball

A player from the team reflected on the win in a friendly match, highlighting the response of the youngsters, the group’s versatility and the constant demand to win. With the return to the Primeira Liga on the horizon, he also sent a message of ambition and assured: “we are working twice as hard to bring joy to our fans.”

In a test marked by several changes, the player praised the work done and the ability to adapt of those who have had fewer opportunities. The message ran through the entire analysis: even outside official competition, the commitment does not change.

In his reading of the game, he highlighted the use of youngsters, B-team players and players in unusual positions. More than the circumstances, he preferred to stress the collective response.

“We did a good job, young players who haven’t played much featured, others from the B team too, and many players were playing in positions different from their usual ones. They did a good job and I’m happy,” he said.

His satisfaction, then, was based on the way the group responded to the changes. The match served to test solutions without taking any weight away from the result.

On the importance of winning even in a friendly, he was unequivocal. At the club, he explained, the competitive demand does not depend on the context.

“We worked this week so we could win this game. I believe that when you are at this club you are obliged to win, whatever the competition or even if it is a friendly,” he stressed.

The sentence sets the desired standard: compete to win, regardless of whether the match is official or unofficial. An obligation assumed without hesitation.

With the return to the Primeira Liga in sight, he ruled out any possibility of easing off. Despite the work already done, he reminded everyone that there is still a long way to go in the league.

“We must not lower the pace, we are doing a great job, there is still a long way to go until the end of the championship and, obviously as you can see, we are working twice as hard to bring joy to our fans,” he assured.

The message combines confidence with caution. There is satisfaction with the current work, but also the awareness that it is not yet time to ease the intensity.

Asked about starting in midfield, he showed himself to be comfortable and available to respond wherever the team needs him. Not playing the full 90 minutes did not change his positive assessment of the performance.

“I feel good here, I didn’t play 90 minutes, but I had a good game. I will keep working and try to help the team wherever it needs me,” he explained.

The response places collective availability above a specific position. The focus is on continuing the work and on the ability to be useful in different roles.

Smalling’s arrival also earned words of praise. The player highlighted the class and experience of the new signing, stressing his immediate impact despite the limited training time.

“It is a pleasure to play with him, he is a very classy player and has been at great clubs. He has a lot of experience, he only had one training session and already had a great game. I wish him the best of luck,” he said.

The recognition makes clear the expectations surrounding Smalling. Even at an early stage of his integration, the first impression was strong enough to deserve public praise.

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