Miguel Maria: Always show grit, determination and hunger to win | OneFootball

The 14th round of the Portuguese Basketball League takes FC Porto to the João Rocha Pavilion in Lisbon, where they will face Sporting (Saturday, 3:00 pm, Sporting TV).

With the goal of climbing into the “top 3,” the Dragons face an opponent that “fights” and “plays with a lot of grit.” According to Miguel Maria, the Porto squad must stay focused on their “work” and “not on what they can do.” “We know the importance of this game and of beating one of our rivals,” added the point guard. In this preview of the classic, FC Porto sits in fourth place with 21 points, four behind leaders Benfica, while Sporting is second with 24.

Extending the good run“We go in with the expectation to win, that’s our goal in every game and this one is no exception. We’re coming off a good victory against a tough opponent like UD Oliveirense and we want to keep winning, now away from home. We want to get as close as possible to the top 3.”

Sporting ended Benfica’s unbeaten run in the League“Credit must be given to Sporting as they forced Benfica into low shooting percentages. They are a team that fights and plays with a lot of grit and dedication, so we have to be alert to everything. They are a well-organized team at the moment and are coming off a heavy defeat in Europe, so we want to take advantage of that fatigue and impose our rhythm, but we’ll stay focused on our work and not on what they can do.”

European defeat midweek“They also have rhythm, as they have been playing more. It depends on several factors, but we want to play, we want to win, and we’re eager for the game to arrive. We know the importance of this game and of beating one of our rivals.”

Room for growth“We want to keep growing. I think we still have a lot of room for improvement and we haven’t yet found that ‘flow’ where everyone feels comfortable. When that balance comes, we’ll be an extremely competitive team.”

What must not be missing for FC Porto in this classic?“Grit, determination, and thirst for victory, above all. We also need a spirit of sacrifice and team spirit. More than anyone, we want to win. It hasn’t happened as much as we’d like, but the work is there. I believe we’ll respond in true Porto fashion and that we’ll come out victorious.”

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