Paços de Ferreira hopeful before Sporting clash: Everything is possible | OneFootball

Filipe Cândido believes it is possible to beat Sporting. The Paços de Ferreira coach, whose team will face the Lions in the third round of the Portuguese Cup this Saturday, October 18, spoke to journalists at a pre-match press conference — as did Rui Borges.

"This match comes at a good time to raise all levels of confidence, both among members and players. The Cup has that magic. Not long ago we were in Nazaré facing Nazarenos, and now we’re going to play the two-time national champions and current holders of the competition. This is why we love this tournament. We will approach the game with enthusiasm and a desire to enjoy it," the Paços de Ferreira coach began.

Regarding the Lions, Filipe Cândido said: "Regardless of who plays, Sporting will always be a very strong team. Just look at the value of their forwards and the quality of the squad. They are offensively very strong, perhaps the best of the last five years. They may sometimes seem less balanced because they commit a lot of players to attack, but they are an extremely competitive team. Regardless of the opponent’s choices, we expect a very difficult match."

"The group is motivated and eager to show its best. This game gives them different visibility, and I hope they know how to control their anxiety, because we’re going to face an excellent team. Matches like this help us understand the level we’re at, individually and collectively. Our goal is to evolve and grow, and for that we also need to test ourselves against strong opponents," added the Paços de Ferreira coach about the dressing room’s state.

Filipe Cândido then explained that he is not thinking about rotating the squad for the game with the Lions, before concluding: "We have to understand the context. Sporting are living one of the best moments in their recent history, while Paços is trying to find itself again. We have to accept reality, but on the pitch we want to be competitive and demanding. My focus is to help the club consolidate. Last year we managed to stay in the Second Division, and this year we want to secure our objective as early as possible. The Cup is also part of that path. Two years ago, with Nacional, I reached the semi-finals after great difficulties in the early rounds. That’s why we believe anything is possible."

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