Paulo Freitas on Sporting defeat: “We win together, we lose together” | OneFootball

Paulo Freitas did not hide his frustration after FC Porto’s defeat to Sporting at Dragão Arena, in the opening game of the National Championship play-off semi-finals. The coach of Porto’s roller hockey team split his assessment between gratitude to the fans, the opponent’s efficiency in decisive moments, and the response he is already demanding in Game 2. And, in the middle of his analysis, he left an idea that summed everything up: “When we win, we all win.”

In the aftermath of a first derby that slipped away from the European champions, the mood was one of contained disappointment, but not surrender. Paulo Freitas came forward with a message of collective responsibility and immediate focus on turning the tie around, refusing easy explanations for a night in which FC Porto fell short of what they wanted.

Before getting into his reading of the game, the coach made a point of starting with the stands and the push he felt coming from Dragão Arena, in one of those moments when the home crowd tries to carry the team even when the result is slipping away.

“First of all, thank you very much to everyone here at Dragão Arena, who were at a very high level and pushed us in every moment, but we were not capable.”

It was a way of separating the support from the response on the rink: the fans rose to the occasion, the team did not. The short, direct sentence carried both gratitude and the acknowledgement that the night ended up being marked by Porto’s inability to turn that momentum into a competitive edge.

When he moved on to summarising the match, Paulo Freitas described a tough, even contest decided by details that went Sporting’s way. He did so without shying away from mistakes, without singling out anyone for blame, and stressing that, in this kind of clash, moments of superiority weigh heavily.

“We know there is a great team on the other side and the difficulties we were going to face, but they know that too. It was an even game and always taken into physical duels. Then there is a moment when we make a mistake, because here when we make mistakes, we all make mistakes. And when we win, we all win,” he said. “Our opponent was tremendously effective in their moment of superiority and we were not able to be, not because of a lack of quality, but because we were in a complicated situation. We had a lot of heart and not enough head. They were clearer-minded and with a three-goal difference it became much more difficult. All that remains is for us to grieve today, and tomorrow we will be here with the same strength. We go into Game 2 with the determination we have to have to bring back the win and come back with the tie level.”

In this assessment there are two intersecting layers: self-criticism of the emotional management of the game and recognition of the opponent’s clarity in the moments that made the difference. At the same time, Freitas sought to close the wound quickly, pushing the message toward an immediate response and the need to level the tie in Lisbon.

Hélder Nunes’ absence also came up, but without serving as a refuge. Asked about the impact of that unavailability, the coach acknowledged the player’s importance, although he refused to turn that absence into an excuse for the defeat.

“Hélder is unavailable under the supervision of the Medical Department. He is an important part of the team, as they all are, and he gives us different rotation options, but I am not going to hide behind that because this team has a lot of quality and has already shown that it can turn around difficult moments.”

The answer fit into the same line of collective demand that ran through his entire statement. Without looking for outside excuses, Paulo Freitas preferred to reinforce his confidence in the resources he has and in the team’s ability to respond, leaving FC Porto tied to a simple yet heavy obligation at the same time: respond in Game 2.

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