Filipe Cândido on Sporting before Portuguese Cup clash: Just look... | OneFootball

Filipe Cândido had many praises for the Sporting team, before the match against Paços de Ferreira, concerning the third round of the Portuguese Cup. The Paços de Ferreira coach spoke with journalists in a press conference previewing this match - just as Rui Borges had already done.

"This game comes at a good time to boost confidence levels, both for the members and the players. The Cup has that magic. Not long ago we were in Nazaré facing Nazarenos, and now we are going to play against the national champion and current holder of the competition. This is why we love this tournament. We will approach the game with enthusiasm and want to enjoy it," the Paços de Ferreira coach began to explain.

About the lions, Filipe Cândido said the following: "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 a very strong offensive team, perhaps the best in the last five years. They may sometimes seem less balanced because they put a lot of people in the attack, but they are an extremely competitive team. Regardless of the opponent's choices, we expect a very difficult game."

"The group is motivated and eager to show their best. This game gives them a different visibility and I hope they can control their anxiety because we are going to face an excellent team. Games like this help us understand the level we are at, both individually and collectively. Our goal is to evolve and grow, and for that, we also need to measure our strength against strong opponents," the Paços de Ferreira coach continued, regarding the state of the locker room.

Filipe Cândido then explained that he does not plan to manage the squad for the game against the lions, before concluding: "We have to understand the context. Sporting is experiencing one of the best moments in its recent history, while Paços is trying to find itself again. We have to accept reality, but on the field, we want to be competitive and demanding. My focus is to help the club consolidate itself. Last year we managed to stay in the 2nd League, and this year we want to secure the objective as soon as possible. The Cup is also part of that journey. Two years ago, with Nacional, I reached the semi-finals after great difficulties in the initial rounds. Therefore, we believe that anything is possible."

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