João Brandão: “It’s going to be an extremely competitive match” | OneFootball

After a comeback against Benfica B (2-1) that put an end to a winless streak in the Segunda Liga, FC Porto B travels to the Estádio Marcolino Castro, in Santa Maria da Feira, to face CD Feirense in the 18th round (Monday, 6:00 pm, Sport TV+), which marks the start of the second half of the season.

Coach João Brandão mentioned an “extremely competent” opponent and highlighted that “they are the team in the league with the most shots,” so “the determination, grit, and aggressiveness we show will be fundamental.” Martim Chelmik, who made his professional debut last weekend, states that only the “best version” of the Porto squad will bring them closer to victory. FC Porto B is in 12th place with 21 points, the same as CD Feirense, who are in 11th.

The victory in the most recent classic"Above all, it was the validation of the work we did that week and also the validation of the individual and collective growth we’ve been experiencing. That door is now closed and there’s a new challenge on Monday.”

CD Feirense"They are an extremely competent team and had a strong win in their last match. The stats don’t lie and they are the team in the league with the most shots, including on target, and it’s tough to play at their home, as the pitch dimensions have very specific characteristics. Set pieces become even more important, but we are prepared and trained very well this week. Above all, we know it will be an extremely competitive game, where the determination, grit, and aggressiveness we show will be fundamental.”

Two teams level on points"It’s the first round of the second half of the season and, as I’ve said before, it’s a long marathon where we have to stay very focused and alert. The fact that we’re facing a team with the same points as us is an extra motivation to leave there ahead of our opponent.”

The debut of U-17 World Champion Martim Chelmik"As has happened with other young players, it has become a pattern in recent times for us to be able to integrate extremely young players into the context of the B team. That’s the purpose of the B team. The results and our position in the table are also important, as we represent a team with the Porto brand and a winning mentality, but we are also very involved in launching these young players.”

Martim ChelmikThe comeback against Sporting B"It was a very important win. We played a great game and got an excellent result, but that game is behind us and we’re focused on Monday’s match, which will be very tough.”

The next opponent"They are a gritty team and will make things very difficult for us, so we have to show our best version to come away with all three points. We are FC Porto and we approach every game to win.”

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