Freitas and Neto on Benfica debut: An indescribable feeling | OneFootball

José Neto and Tiago Freitas were the most recent debuts for José Mourinho. In a match where Benfica was already leading Napoli 2-0, the Portuguese coach made sure to give an opportunity to the two players, who earned their first minutes with the main squad of the Eagles.

Through their social media posts, the young players revisited that special moment. “I was on the bench and was actually behind the coach. He turned around and said: ‘Go show the tactical schemes to Freitas,’ and I was a bit surprised because I wasn’t expecting it. Then, when it was time to go in, it was an indescribable feeling,” said the 19-year-old midfielder.

“They were words of confidence to motivate me, also to take advantage of, because it was a unique moment, and I think they were words that I took in the right way and that helped me a lot when I made my debut for Benfica,” mentioned the right-back, one of the new names in the Eagles' squad list.

“I had a good time with him at a dinner, me and Rodrigo Rêgo. We were there talking, laughing. The coach told us some stories he experienced at other clubs, and it was funny,” revealed Tiago Freitas, regarding the Benfica coach.

“It was a funny story. I usually have dinner at the Benfica Campus, as I am still a resident, and since the coach also dines here, we ended up crossing paths one day. He asked me, jokingly, if he put me in there, ‘can you handle it?’, and I replied yes, that I was ready to face the challenge,” said the U-17 World Champion.

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