Natalia Paszkowska: “We only have one goal: to win” | OneFootball

Natalia Paszkowska, FC Porto’s outside hitter, previewed the women’s volleyball Super Cup against SC Braga with a message of ambition and commitment. Facing an opponent she considers difficult, the Porto player stressed the importance of playing with heart, fighting for every ball, and counting on the support from the stands. Ahead of a third final in three weeks, she made one thing clear: “We only have one goal: to win.”

The match starts at 5:00 pm this Saturday at the Santo Tirso Municipal Sports Pavilion, with live broadcast on RTP2. In the build-up, Natalia Paszkowska made it clear that the knowledge already gathered about SC Braga does not lessen the weight of the decisive moment: the focus is on Porto’s game and on winning the trophy.

The two previous meetings with SC Braga, in the Iberian Cup and the Vindimas Tournament, allow FC Porto to better understand the challenge. Even so, Paszkowska rejected the idea of treating the final as a simple repeat.

“It’s good that we’ve already played against SC Braga in the Iberian Cup and the Vindimas Tournament because we know them well now. We know what to expect, but the most important thing is to focus on ourselves and understand that everything will be decided in this match,” she said. “We only have one goal: to win.”

Familiarity with the opponent is seen as a tool, not a guarantee. The Polish international is placing all the pressure on a single match, with no room for distractions.

Speaking about SC Braga’s quality, the outside hitter acknowledged the difficulty of the clash and highlighted the tactical preparation work. But she placed the emotional dimension of the final above any plan.

“SC Braga are a difficult team to face, but after the video sessions we’ll know better what we have to do tactically. Tactics are only one aspect, because in a final the most important thing is how you play with your heart.”

The message is clear: strategy will be necessary, but not enough. In a trophy-deciding match, Paszkowska expects attitude to bring to life the work prepared before the game.

That commitment should be felt in every rally. The Porto player pointed to fighting for every ball as one of the keys to stopping the quality that will be on the other side of the net.

“In this type of game, the most important thing is to fight for every ball, because on the other side there will be great players that we will have to stop. We have to play our best volleyball, because when we do, we are a great team.”

In the Polish player’s words, there is no room to manage effort or intensity. FC Porto will have to show its best version to turn ambition into victory.

Preparation for the Super Cup also involved connecting with the club’s history. After visiting the Museum and speaking with Fernando Sá, Filipe Santos, and Tiago Rocha, Paszkowska highlighted the impact of that experience, especially for the newly arrived players.

“We also had a conversation with former players and current coaches from the club’s other sports, who explained how they achieved great things while representing FC Porto. We have several players who have just arrived, and it is very important that they get to know the history of this Club,” she explained. “Seeing so many trophies gave us extra motivation to win another one.”

The past was therefore presented as fuel for the present. The scale of what has already been achieved strengthened the desire to add another trophy to the club’s journey.

To complete that momentum, Paszkowska called for a strong turnout from the fans in Santo Tirso. The player wants to turn the stands into constant support throughout the final.

“We’re going to need our fans, and we hope for a full house in Santo Tirso. We’re going to fight for them, and we hope we can all celebrate together.”

The appeal closes the preview in the same tone in which it began: unity, commitment, and ambition. For Paszkowska, the Super Cup is played with preparation and quality, but also with the heart of a team backed by the Porto family.

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