Farioli: “We’re playing Benfica, not Mourinho” | OneFootball

Francesco Farioli, coach of FC Porto, comments on Sunday's match against Benfica, in which he will have José Mourinho as an opponent on the bench:

Preparation for the match

«We tried to prepare the game with great attention. We watched the last four games (of Benfica), but also some previous experiences, especially from the time Mourinho spent in England. We tried to decode what might happen. I was not the only one to do this work in the best possible way. We did our job and, tomorrow, we will play against a very good team, a Champions League team, that comes here to compete at the maximum. We have to be prepared».

Greeting between Mourinho and Farioli

«About the hug, I reciprocate and, tomorrow, we will shake hands personally. As for the rest, there are many things that affect performance, everything has a certain importance. There are tactical aspects, but also personal ones, dynamics inherent to the clubs. There are many factors that mix in football. But tomorrow's game is important for us, we have to be very well prepared. We trained today and, tomorrow, we will have the day to try to prepare the game in the best possible way and arrive at the game with the right spirit. It is the most important thing, because every plan, without the appropriate "fire", is not enough».

«Tomorrow's game has three possible outcomes. We have to give our best, knowing where we came from. Last season, the games with Benfica cost Porto a lot. It suffered eight goals and only scored two. This shows the value of the opponent. We have to give our all to make the fans happy».

«It's an important game, we can't deny it, but it won't be decisive. There are still many games left, many things can happen and, therefore, it will only be an important game».

Mourinho as a reference

«We are talking about one of the most successful coaches, who has won many trophies. His record is incredible and he is one of the most special people in football. What he represents for football is notorious. I have already said that he is a reference for me, he has all my respect. In recent years, he has had experiences in several countries. He did an incredible job in Roma, where he won the Conference League. It's a mix of feelings, but I know how difficult it is to compete in these environments. The priority is tomorrow's game. We are going to play against Benfica, not against Mourinho. We have to have our mind connected to the dynamics of the game. We have three, four or even five scenarios that we can expect before and during the game. We have to be ready for everything, despite the few days we had to prepare».

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