João Brandão: Our team grew, in tough times we worked hard | OneFootball

João Brandão, coach of FC Porto B, spoke to the club's official channels before the trip to Leiria for the 22nd round of the II Liga, scheduled for Sunday at 6:00 PM.

On competitiveness: “The competitiveness of this league doesn't let us fall asleep, and the daily demands of this club keep us focused on our work. That's what we've been doing since the beginning of the season. In both good and less favorable moments, we've always clung to our work, to the responsibility of representing this club, and to developing young players who can be ready and available for the demands of the A team. The point proximity is very close between all teams, the difficulty of earning points is tremendous, as we've already experienced firsthand, so nothing allows us to relax, everything drives us to stay focused on what's yet to come.”

On the opponent: “Before talking about União de Leiria, I want to extend a heartfelt embrace to all the victims of this catastrophe that struck Portugal and wish that we can all quickly recover in solidarity, as is characteristic of our people. Talking about Leiria is talking about a title contender, a team that has reinforced and restructured itself a lot in this winter market, a team extremely aggressive in defensive moments. We know they seek individual markings, not only in the central corridor but also on the outside. They are an extremely competent opponent in set-piece situations, but we are prepared for a great challenge and focused on the opportunities that Leiria may give us. We bring the game plan and the creative ability to discover something the game might offer us. Above all, the team has grown a lot in terms of maturity and how it understands the different moments of the game. I think that will be decisive.”

On the three consecutive victories: “Our team has really grown a lot, transformed into a much more competent team in some moments of the game, so I believe we will play a much more consistent game than in the first round. Our team recently showed that it is more prepared for the incidents that arise throughout the game, whether positive or negative. This regularity and consistency are fundamental for us to compete at the highest level. Leiria is a team that reflects its coach, with very distinct characteristics, so we are focused but prepared for any plan the game may bring.”

Regarding the connection with the main team: “Yes, I think there are not many doubts about that, just look at the average age of the B team compared to previous years. The main goal is to create an ideal context to develop players who can one day be at the level of the A team, and this context also involves the competitive side. We don't hide and want to take on the games as a very important moment where we want to win, have good performances, and collectively earn points, but respect the characteristics of each player, the way each one has to develop and enhance their abilities. There are two essential factors for them to make the leap: the opportunity and the player's readiness. The player's readiness is decisive so that when the opportunity arises, they can show performance because in the A team it's all about performance, with the demand to win, and that's what we want to cultivate daily here in training and also in games.”

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