Ricardo Brandão: “we’ll give everything to get the win” | OneFootball

Ricardo Brandão, pivot for FC Porto’s handball team, looked ahead to the home game against Marítimo Madeira, scheduled for Sunday at 3:00 pm at the Dragão Arena, in the sixth round of the National Championship. Facing an opponent that has also yet to drop any points, he anticipated a tough match, highlighted the effort demanded by the schedule, and assured: “we will give everything to win.”

The match against Marítimo Madeira will be the eighth of ten games scheduled for FC Porto in the month of September and will be broadcast on Porto Canal. In a highly demanding spell, Ricardo Brandão remains focused on victory, without underestimating the pace shown by the next opponent.

When analysing Marítimo, the Porto pivot pointed to the Madeiran side’s strong start to the season and refused to treat the match as a formality.

“We are expecting an opponent that is playing at a strong pace and has been working well at the start of the season, which is why they have managed five wins, so we are expecting a difficult game, but we will give everything to win.”

The message combines respect for the opponent’s run with the usual ambition of a team that takes the court to win. The level of difficulty is acknowledged, but it does not change Porto’s objective.

The schedule, with games every three days, has reduced the time available between matches. Ricardo Brandão acknowledged the physical toll, but stressed the team’s commitment in preparation.

“It has been tough, but we have done our best in these two days of work to be as well prepared as possible for the games.”

Between recovery and training, FC Porto is trying to cope with the run of matches without losing competitiveness. In this context, every session carries extra weight in the attempt to reach each game in the best possible condition.

This intense period has also opened the door for younger players, called upon to help because of injuries or out of necessity. For the pivot, the contribution of those players has been valuable.

“We have had some younger players helping us a lot, whether because of injuries or necessity. They have been very important.”

The youth setup thus emerges as a concrete response to the demands of the schedule and the limitations of the squad. More than just making up the numbers, the younger players have taken on an important role in the team’s rotation.

For the clash at the Dragão Arena, Ricardo Brandão also had a direct message for the fans. The pivot wants the support of the stands in what he expects to be a balanced and demanding match.

“I would like to invite the fans to come and watch the game and support us as much as possible.”

With tickets available through the usual outlets, the appeal reinforces the importance attached to the atmosphere at the Dragão Arena. In a packed schedule and against an opponent in good form, FC Porto is also looking to make the fans’ support an added strength.

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