Coach Luís Pinto stated that Vitória de Guimarães must present itself with “respect, humility and courage” to compete with Benfica.
Aware of the physical size of the ‘reds’, the 36-year-old coach recognized that the duels for the ball will have an “impact on the game” and recognized that the Minho team must appear “courageous and ‘loose'”, to play “at a very high level” against a candidate for the national title, third in the table, with 21 points.
“We expect a Benfica with good players, which is a candidate for the title and which, at least in internal competitions, has achieved results in accordance with its perspectives. It will be here in a motivated way, looking for victory, as in all games. We have to be focused to play with respect and humility, but a lot of courage”, he said, in the conference previewing the challenge.
In 11th place in the championship, with 11 points, the Guimarães return to the Estádio D. Afonso Henriques, a ‘stage’ on which they are still undefeated, after the defeat at Famalicão (2-0), which began to materialize with a goal from Mathias de Amorim, in the 41st minute, at a stage in which his team should have retreated in the face of opposing supremacy.
“We had a strong entry. After that strong entry, we had the last 10 minutes of the first half in which we weren’t as capable. (…) If we had had that ability, we wouldn’t have conceded the goal and we would have had the break to correct it”, he assumed.
Luís Pinto rejected, however, that the defeat in Famalicão was “a setback” in the Victorian path, praised the “competitive attitude” of his players and stressed that the squad is stronger at the end of this week than at the end of the previous week.
Without clarifying whether he considers the ‘eagles’ stronger under the technical command of José Mourinho than under the leadership of Bruno Lage, the Victorian ‘helmsman’ also acknowledged that effectiveness could be crucial in Saturday’s clash, although the last pass and the finish are moments of the game that depend greatly on the technical gesture of each athlete.
Forwards Gustavo Silva and Alioune Ndoye are confirmed absences from the Minho team, due to injury, a condition that has also kept midfielder Gonçalo Nogueira away from the pitch since mid-September.
Vitória de Guimarães, 11th in the Portuguese First League, with 11 points, receives Benfica, third, with 21, in a match on the 10th round, scheduled for 8:30 pm on Saturday, at the Estádio D. Afonso Henriques, in Guimarães, with refereeing by João Pinheiro, from the Braga association.