Daymaro Salina: “it will be tougher than the unveiling match” | OneFootball

Daymaro Salina, captain of FC Porto’s handball team, previewed the clash with ABC Braga, a postponed match from the second round of the regular phase of the Handball Championship, scheduled for Wednesday at 8pm, live on Porto Canal. Between the wear and tear caused by nine matches in September and the importance of the fans’ support, the Porto player anticipated a tougher challenge and assured: “it will be a more difficult game than the presentation match.”

The reunion with ABC comes after the two teams had already faced each other in pre-season, but Daymaro Salina is not misled by that reference. For the captain, the competitive context changes everything: the opponent will be better prepared, the calendar is already weighing on the legs, and the squad depth will have to provide an answer.

On the mutual knowledge between the teams, Salina clearly separated the presentation match from the commitment that now follows. Pre-season served as a rehearsal; the championship promises a much tougher test.

“We are going to face ABC, a team we played against in the presentation match, but that was in pre-season and I am sure they will be much better prepared this time.” That was how the captain previewed the reunion. “In pre-season, teams work with a heavier physical load, not so much on the technical and tactical side, so I believe it will be a more difficult game than the presentation match.”

The message rules out any idea that the previous meeting can serve as a guarantee. FC Porto expect a different ABC and see the match as a new test, already within the demands of the competition itself.

The schedule is another challenge. This will be Porto’s ninth game in September, a run that Daymaro Salina acknowledges is demanding, although without turning it into an excuse.

“It is something complicated and sometimes we feel a bit tired, but it is our job and it is what we like to do. We have a squad of 18 players and we always have to be available.” Salina then explained how rotation can help respond to the fatigue. “In each position there are always at least three players, and we rotate so that whoever is in the best shape on a given day plays.”

The fatigue exists and is acknowledged, but the solution pointed to lies in the size of the group and everyone’s availability. More than fixing hierarchies, the captain places each moment’s performance at the centre of the decisions.

Back at home, Salina also had a word for the stands, at a time when tickets are still on sale through the usual outlets. The fans’ support is presented not only as encouragement, but also as a permanent source of high expectations.

“The fans are our eighth player, they are a machine that gives us even more strength and demands the maximum from us in every game.”

It is in this balance between energy and responsibility that FC Porto seek to face another stage of a packed month. Against a familiar opponent, but now better prepared, the team are counting on the depth of the squad and the push coming from the stands.

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