Porto under-17s head into Benfica clash focused on winning in Seixal | OneFootball

FC Porto’s under-17 team heads into the clássico against Benfica needing just one point to secure the National Champion title, but José João kept his message focused on what matters most: competing, preserving their identity, and winning in Seixal. With four rounds still to play in the Championship Phase of the National Under-17 Championship, the coach highlighted consistency, emotional control, and the Dragons’ competitive DNA as the pillars of what he expects to be a morning of maximum demands. And he made one thing clear: “what we really want is to win and be Porto.”

Previewing a match with huge weight both in the standings and in symbolic terms, José João delivered a simple but demanding message: when the pressure rises, there are no shortcuts. The FC Porto under-17 coach steered the conversation toward identity and competitive discipline, refusing to let the scale of the occasion distract the team from what he sees as fundamental.

Asked about the team’s condition and how they are approaching a clássico that comes after last weekend, José João was clear in calling for balance between ambition and control. The tone was confident, but with no room for emotional excess.

“The team is doing well and is hugely determined to win in order to reverse what was the result from last weekend. Of course it’s a clássico, a different and special game that brings extra motivation, but we have to approach it the same way we approach every other one,” he said. “We cannot allow emotion to override reason, and we are very clearly aligned with our style of play. We have to remain consistent if we want to get another three points. We are focused on winning because that is the purpose of this Club.”

In the coach’s words, there is a clear sense of competitive maturity that serves as a reference point for the match. The clássico is recognized as special, but it only has meaning if it is played without compromising the principles that sustain the team.

When the subject turned to how close they are to the title, José João was keen to dismiss any idea of calculation. He insisted that the focus had not been on the possibility of celebrating, but solely on the clash with Benfica.

“We haven’t talked about that during the week, our focus is only on beating Benfica. We are not concerned with becoming Champions there; what we really want is to win and be Porto. We want to go in with enormous determination and desire, with the fighting spirit that defines FC Porto’s DNA,” he stressed. “Our focus is on what comes before the final result, that is what has driven this team since day one. We do not hide the fact that it is a special match against a direct rival, but above all we look at our own DNA.”

This approach clearly shows how the coach is trying to protect the team from the euphoria of the moment. Instead of looking at the finish line, José João keeps the players focused on the process, on identity, and on the level of demand he associates with the badge.

In his analysis of the match, the coach predicted a balanced contest, one that will be decided by the finer details. And he pointed to two aspects that could be decisive: the defensive response and the wear caused by the heat.

“It will be an intense game, decided by details. We have to be very alert to every detail, and the players have to be aware in their decision-making,” he explained. “We will have to defend well, and we also need to pay attention to the heat, because it can cause extra fatigue, but the team is already mature enough to understand that. We look at the game with optimism, passion, and ambition. We really want to play these matches and be on these stages.”

The picture that emerges is of a team prepared for a test of the highest demands without giving up the right attitude: no anxiety and no dazzlement. Just the combination of clarity, intensity, and the ambition to rise to an occasion where, for José João, the difference begins long before the final whistle.

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