Paulo Freitas: "We’ll be a very ambitious, determined and courageous team" | OneFootball

A week after leading the Portuguese national team to their 22nd European Championship title, Paulo Freitas conducted his first training session at the Dragão Arena this Thursday as the coach of FC Porto's roller hockey team. Returning “to a place where I was very happy,” the coach considered it “a very important step” in his life and career and hopes “to be up to the challenge, the responsibility, and the greatness of the Club.”

Without hiding that the main goal “is to become National Champions for the third time in a row,” Paulo Freitas stated that he knows the squad he now leads very well and gave a guarantee: “We will work calmly, but above all with a lot of confidence, with a strong focus on our goals and on winning titles for the Club.” To the fans, he only asked that they “support us,” because “we will leave everything on the rink to give them victories.”

Happy to return“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 coaching career. Therefore, this is a very important step in my life, I am very happy and very motivated. I hope to be up to the challenge, the responsibility, and the greatness of the Club.”

Goal: The Third Championship“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 third championship. There were conditions to achieve the second championship, so now we will work towards an important goal, which is to become National Champions for the third time.”

Deep knowledge of the squad“More than knowing the athletes well, I have known them since a young age. Just a curiosity: Gonçalo [Alves] was my player in the youth team at FC Porto, back when he was still in the B youth category. 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 for the Club.”

FC Porto in the 2025/26 season“We will be a versatile team, and we will not abandon the FC Porto DNA; we will fight at every moment to exhaustion for victory. We will be a team that adapts to what the game demands from 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.”

Work routine“I want the athletes to bring to the Dragão Arena the willingness they usually have 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, from the little time I have been here, I have already realized that this is all a big family. I was very well received by everyone, and I am here to live my sport, my profession, and to fight tirelessly for the interests of FC Porto.”

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