Paulo Freitas returns: “I’ve known them since they were kids” | OneFootball

Resuming duties at FC Porto: “It is an honor for me to return to this great club. It is a return to a place where I was very happy, not only as an athlete but also in the early stages of my career as a coach. Therefore, this is a very important step in my life, I am very happy and very motivated. I hope to live up to the challenge, the responsibility, and the greatness of the club.”

Familiarity with the squad: “More than just knowing the athletes well, I have known them since a young age. Just a mere curiosity: Gonçalo [Alves] was my player in the youth team at FC Porto, back when he was still at the B youth level. So, I have known them for many years, I know well what they can do, the ambition and motivation they have, as they represent a great institution and want to continue bringing joy to the fans. We will work calmly, but above all with a lot of confidence, with a strong focus on our goals and on winning titles.”

Ambition: “I handle pressure well. What is fundamental for us to understand is that we have a group of top athletes, with a lot of quality. Clearly, we are aiming for the championship three-peat. There were conditions to achieve the two-peat, so now we will work towards an important goal, which is to become national champions for the third time in a row.”

Vision for FC Porto for 2025/26: “We will be a versatile team, not abandoning the DNA of FC Porto, fighting at all times to exhaustion for victory. We will be a team that adapts to what the game demands of us, but above all, we will be a very ambitious, determined, and courageous team. We will play with heart, also with soul, but we will also play with a lot of reason, as the goal is clearly to win.”

Working method: “I want the athletes to bring to the Dragão Arena the willingness they usually bring so we can work, evolve, and continue to build the family they already are. We want to strengthen the bonds within our group and within the FC Porto institution because, in the short time I have been here, I have already realized that this is all one big family. I was very well received by everyone and I am here to live my sport, my profession, and fight relentlessly for the interests of FC Porto.”

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