"A good performance and mission accomplished"

POST-MATCH

Bruno Lage praised Benfica "good performance" in their 2-0 victory over French side Nice on Tuesday, August 12, in the second leg of the Champions League third qualifying round.

Satisfied with the team's performance, coach Bruno Lage also considered that the team was “solid and consistent.” "We know very well how to interpret the moments of the game. It was a good performance, we created several scoring opportunities, we scored two goals with great collective quality, and that makes us happy. We feel the team is growing, we are in our fifth week of work," he said in the flash interview area with BTV.

“Aggressiveness in winning duels” was another aspect praised by Bruno Lage. "The basis is sporting aggression. Aggression in defensive transition, as was the case when we scored our first goal. Lots of people close to the ball, recovering the ball and finding the way to goal. Aggression in movement and winning the second ball. We are also winning a lot of second balls, which allows us to have possession and control the game with the ball. It is this aggressiveness that we must find within the team. So, as I say, a good performance and mission accomplished," he said.

THE GROWTH PERCENTILE AT 5 WEEKS

"We started our fifth week today. Theoretically, we should only be playing the Super Cup at the end of this week, but as I said, we've already played several official matches. So I see the team growing. It is in this sense, in the enormous collective sense, that I see the team growing. And it was with this determination, as we discussed yesterday, that the team started the first half very well, and also what we discussed in the second half was to try to achieve something we talked about a lot last year, which is consistency. We were consistent in the second half. It was a good performance, we got through the round. Now we're... some recovering, others working to prepare for our league debut against Estrela da Amadora."

THE ONLY CONCERN AT THIS TIME

"We were very happy with how we played today, and we are already working hard to prepare for the match against Estrela da Amadora. That's the most important thing to say at this stage of the championship. What we are doing gives us a lot of confidence. As I said, we are entering the fifth week and that gives us a lot of confidence. The only concern I have at the moment, and it's normal in preseason, is not giving playing time to those players who haven't been playing. That's my only concern, because in preseason we usually find solutions so that everyone gets playing time. Some play, others don't, and we have to find that space of opportunity for everyone to get minutes, to be important in helping the team, to be a team with a collective sense, with the collective creativity that we've been talking about, and to put on performances like we did today, in a very solid, very consistent way and with enormous determination. And, of course, the individual quality that we have." 

AURSNES DOES WELL ON THE WINGS

"I am very happy with the work the players have been doing, as I said. We are starting the season the way we started, I don't want to talk about the transfer market, nor will I talk about the transfer market, I am very satisfied with all our players, with everyone's performance. What I can say to my players, what I can say to you about what I want from them is: I want to see consistent players, I want to see players like Fredrik, who is present in attack, who is present in defense, regardless of their positions, who can contribute to the team. That's how the game works. And when I look, for example, at the goals we scored, we saw that in the team today. The first goal came from a great defensive transition, a very aggressive play, a good defensive transition. We won the ball, made a number of passes, and scored a goal. And then, in the second half, the second goal as well. A very good move, I think we touched the ball almost 20 times, and then the least important thing is who scores the goal. The most important thing is for the team to understand and interpret our strategy very well." 

THE GAMES WORTH ANALYZING 

"[How many times will you watch Feyenoord's last game against Fenerbahçe to prepare for the play-off?] Look, I'm going to watch the game that Estrela da Amadora played against Estoril. I think it was a very interesting game. And that's the game we're going to watch and analyze very carefully. We're also going to analyze the game we played last year against Estrela da Amadora away. Those are the games, and that's our focus. [How many millions would another team have to offer to take Aursnes away from Benfica right now?] He [Aursnes] has individual quality... Look, I'll answer it this way: I think today's answer was the ovation that Estádio da Luz gave Fredrik. That's why I don't remember, and I've played quite a few games, I've played many games for Benfica, and I don't remember such a big ovation for a player. Today is a recognition of his talent, his work, his team spirit, the man he is, in short, the man who brings everything together. So, the greatest compliment I can give, regardless of how much it costs or not, was the ovation that Estádio da Luz, that the fans gave Fredrik, and he responded with a great performance."

THE GREATEST URGENCY IN EVOLUTION

"Our growth has to do with the consistency I want from the team. So, as I say, right now we have some players with more minutes than others, and when I look at the team, I look at the squad and what the players can offer. So we have a group of players with enormous talent, great individual quality, the collective game is there, we have to keep working and be consistent. Every three days, we know we are at a big club, we know we want to be in the Champions League, we know we play for titles, so we have to have the determination we had in the first half, we have to have the consistency we had in the second half, and, above all, this sporting aggressiveness that I want the team to have, because the team has very good defensive transitions, wins individual duels, both with and without the ball, we have a good percentage of second ball recovery, both in attack and defense, we are aggressive in defense, we know the timing of pressure, this is the basis of the work so that later, eventually, at one point or another, in two touches, like today, we can create a finishing situation, at one point or another we make 20 passes, and we can score a goal."

THE DEDIC-AURSNES CONNECTION AND THE GROUP'S GOOD ENVIRONMENT

"Very interesting, as Fredrik said, he likes to play there, he understands not only Dedic's movements, but also those of his teammates who are nearby. He is a technically advanced player, he has quality, he doesn't lose the ball, so any coach is happy to work with this type of player and this type of man. Our group, look, and here's a good example, I'll even use Gonçalo [Guimarães], because Gonçalo was on that side, and now he's been here with us for four weeks. The first question I asked him when he was here for two or three weeks, and you [Gonçalo Guimarães] can confirm this, is... We have a good group, we have a good atmosphere, people here welcome players from outside very well, and I asked him: when you were outside, did you imagine this? And his answer was: no. So we have a good group, people are well received, we have a very good atmosphere, both in terms of players and structure, and there is a path: it is to work consistently, because there is a greater goal, which is for us to perform well, deliver results and titles to our fans, who have supported us so much today."