Tralhão and Vásquez on Super Cup final: “FC Porto are world-class” | OneFootball

Luís Tralhão and Javi Vázquez previewed the Super Cup final between FC Porto and Torreense.

Head coach Luís Tralhão and defender Javi Vázquez appeared in the press room to look ahead to the decisive Super Cup clash between FC Porto and Torreense. The Torres Vedras side, winners of the Portuguese Cup, will face the national champions this Saturday at 8:15 pm at the Municipal Stadium of Coimbra.

Luís Tralhão began by discussing the opposition:

“Analysis of FC Porto? As for the first question, obviously, if FC Porto haven’t changed many players so far, that gives me no comfort at all. The fact that we know what they do means little, just as Primeira Liga teams knew and still continued to struggle against FC Porto. FC Porto are a world-class team, a team that will compete in the Champions League, and we know it will be difficult to stop them. We know the dynamics they have as a team and we will try to take advantage of that. We know we can cause problems for any team. We are in this position because we beat Sporting in the Portuguese Cup and we believe we can win again”.

“Super Cup? I would say this game will be decided by the details; everything will count. We are not at the same level as FC Porto, but we know everything will matter. And a very important detail will be the concentration we must have throughout the game at every moment. That was one of the factors that helped us win the Portuguese Cup. We did not react too emotionally, and we will have to stay true to our model to surprise FC Porto.”

“Referees’ boycott of the Super Cup? I honestly am not up to speed with the controversy. Obviously, I saw the newspaper headlines, but honestly I’m not up to speed on it. Portuguese referees are very competent, and I have to give them a word of appreciation since they are the target of judgments. I never go into a game thinking about the track record a particular referee has had. If at the end of the game I am upset about some refereeing decision, I do not judge the person themselves.”

“More difficult to face FC Porto or Sporting? They are both very challenging. I still do not know who we will play in the Europa League, but I would say that playing against FC Porto, at this moment, will theoretically be the strongest opponent we will face throughout the season. The media attention around this game is different, but the players are highly motivated for this match and, for us coaches, it is always easier to get the message across.”

“Torreense’s project? Our project is about developing our players to their full potential. Competing in the Europa League will be a fantastic experience for the players, but it is not a given that one team plays on Thursday and another on Monday. We want to keep developing the players along with a team that wins more often; that is our starting point.”

“Pitch at the Cidade de Coimbra Stadium? The pitch is not in top condition, but we have already been told they will do everything possible to make sure it is in the best possible condition. We want the best pitch possible, but I believe those are factors external to the organization.”

Javi Vázquez, Torreense’s Spanish defender, also answered the journalists’ questions:

“Super Cup final? For this type of game, we do not need motivation. We have to believe and stay focused for the full 90 minutes.”

“FC Porto’s attacking line? We have to take into account the size of FC Porto as a club; whoever plays can make the difference at any moment, whether it is André Silva or William Gomes. As I said, we have to stay focused for the full 90 minutes. We know the pace FC Porto will bring to the game, but we are aware of what we have to do. We have to show personality and make the most of our moment.”

“The opponent’s qualities? FC Porto are a very complete team, and the tempo they maintain throughout the 90 minutes, the mobility they give their midfielders, and the ease with which they get into the opposition box. It is a team that is physically very strong, but we have to show our quality and we will try to take advantage of our own strengths as well.”

“We see this game as an opportunity, after winning the Portuguese Cup. We have a lot of confidence in ourselves and hope to compete toe to toe with FC Porto, despite their quality. We trust our playing model and we will try to win again.”

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