Vítor Pereira: “We must manage minutes, not give up on the Europa League” | OneFootball

Elliot Anderson did not train: “He wasn’t in training, he had personal issues and we have to respect that. We’ll see about the game.”

More relaxed now? “When you take a job halfway through, it’s because something isn’t right. It’s a good challenge and a pleasure to be here and face FC Porto in the Europa League, just as it was to face Aston Villa in the last round. We are here, we are fighting and alive, with the energy to keep going. It’s about believing in our work and being resilient.”

A team in your image? “They are working very well, it is a very good group, we need some time to put things in my way, but that is not an excuse. This is the time to compete, I am hungry to compete every day and that is the message. We are going to play, it is not here that I win games, it is on the pitch that we can show what we are worth.”

Will you rotate the team? “The management has to continue, but that does not mean we are giving up on the Europa League and on reaching the semi-finals. I am responsible and I know that in four days we have a hugely important Premier League match, but I am absolutely certain that the team that starts will be capable of winning the game.”

FC Porto’s approach: “FC Porto come with the same intention as us, to compete, to win the game. A strong team and in a good moment. I respect FC Porto a lot, but this is the time to look at ourselves and understand what we want to be, by showing our best version. We have a team in which everyone has to be ready to play and show they are in a position to help the club at a moment like this.”

Is it easy to put yourself in the place of a Forest fan and choose between the league and the Europa League? “We want to win both games, it’s easy. We want to win tomorrow and then against Burnley. As a coach I want the same. For that, we need to find the balance between the two competitions and put out a competitive team.”

What could be decisive for the game? “It has a lot to do with mentality. FC Porto play in an intense, fast, pressing way. They have a style of play that is not hard to identify. From a physical point of view, they demand that the opponent be ready to play with the necessary intensity, with many duels, many second balls. They play well and are very physically intense. We have to be ourselves and play with our own tools, we have the support of our fans and good energy, I am absolutely certain that every aspect will be there, the tactical, the physical, the mental, with two excellent teams.”

Do you expect a similar game to the first one or will it have to be different? “We have to look at the game and reflect on what we have already done, and we have to try to correct things to improve. To get past FC Porto, we have to be better in the next game.”

Do you have to choose between one game and the other? “We have to find a way to compete in both. It is about giving the players confidence, confidence to take risks and try to be consistent.”

When choosing the starting eleven, will you think about Sunday’s game? “Right now I have to think about both games. It is important to balance the energy and face Burnley in our best condition. Tomorrow, when we are choosing the starting eleven, we have to look at the substitutes and the time for each of them, without forgetting extra time, which could happen and would be another challenge. But I am optimistic. I know the game is going to be very tough.”

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