João Brandão: Académico de Viseu clash one of our biggest tests | OneFootball

After adding another victory in the south of the country, FC Porto B returns to CTFD Jorge Costa for the 21st round of the Segunda Liga, hosting Académico de Viseu (Friday, 6:00 p.m., Porto Canal).

Facing a “very competent” opponent who has “the top scorer” and “the best attack” in the competition, coach João Brandão calls for the Dragons to keep their focus “on our skills and our strengths,” reminding that “the competitive side of the game is deeply rooted in the team and the group.” U-17 world champion Duarte Cunha highlighted that the players worked hard “all week long” to go after their third consecutive win. FC Porto B is in 11th place with 27 points, while Académico de Viseu sits in second, with 35.

Two consecutive victories“Consistency is the word we seek to establish within the group. Better than two wins are three, so it’s another victory that we’re looking for in the next game. We know it will be very difficult, it will be a tremendous challenge against a very competent team, but we always look at our own skills and our strengths. The competitive side of the game is deeply rooted in the team and the group. Our players are increasingly able to understand all moments of the game and overcome the adversities that arise. This has been a fundamental weapon for us to go after victory with great determination.”

A promotion contender“It’s a very competent team that strengthened in the January transfer window with players from the Primeira Liga. They have the top scorer, the best attack, and have been improving. It’s one of the biggest challenges we’ll face in this recent period, but we are very focused on what we have to do. We have to be competent in our defensive block. We are very prepared for the game plan, while also keeping an eye on the opportunities that will arise.”

A very young but highly competitive squad“Above all, it’s a daily challenge in how we have to stimulate and involve them in the process. They still have a lot to improve. At these ages, there’s still a long way to go to reach the level of excellence that is the first team. Here, the state of alert is constant, especially due to the competitiveness of this Segunda Liga. One win moves us up a place in the table and one poor game sinks us again, so the state of alert is constant. The process has been yielding results daily over the past year and a half, not just in recent months. I also value what the group is and how the more experienced players are able to welcome and provide a favorable context for the growth of the younger ones. That is very important to highlight. This competitive context is completely different from what they had in the youth ranks. You have to play the whole game in every dimension.”

Slow and steady wins the race“Develop rationally and thoughtfully, never in a hurry. We are in no rush, we don’t want immediate visibility, these are firm and sustained steps.”

Duarte CunhaDebut will come with time and work“I made the leap I wanted, from the U-19s to the B team. It’s something I had been working towards for a long time, but I believe the debut will come with time and with work during the week.”

A lot of young talent“For me, it’s also a source of pride to see my teammates of my age making their debuts in the Segunda Liga, which is very competitive. We live this intensely every day, as every day we push each other to be better.”

Académico de Viseu“Académico de Viseu is one of the best teams in the Segunda Liga, but we are focused on ourselves and we worked all week to get the three points.”

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