"We have to be at a very high level"

PREVIEW

Ahead of Fenerbahçe-Benfica, the first leg of the Champions League play-off, António Silva said that Benfica have what it takes to leave the Sükrü Saraçoğlu Stadium with a good result on Wednesday, August 20.

“We know we have to be at a very high level to be able to play a great game. We know the quality of our opponents and that it's a difficult atmosphere, a difficult pitch with the fans cheering them on, but we know the quality we have and our ability to get a good result here,” said the Portuguese international.

It's a play-off that gives qualification for the Champions League. What game are you expecting tomorrow [Wednesday]?

We know it will be a very difficult game against a team that has a lot of quality playing at home, but above all we know what we have to do on the pitch and understand that there are two games and that nothing will be decided tomorrow and we still have the game at Estádio da Luz.

António Silva is seen as a player with great potential for Benfica, with high market value, and at this point you are always in the news. Can you guarantee today, with the Champions League just around the corner, which is a great showcase for footballers and coaches, that you will continue at Benfica this season?

What I can guarantee is that, if the coach wants me, I will be available to play tomorrow, and that is what I can guarantee. As for the future, I don't know what will happen. 

I wonder if you think this tie will only be decided in Lisbon. And also, which team do you think is the favorite, Benfica or Fenerbahçe?

I think Benfica will play to win tomorrow [Wednesday]. We know there are two games, so nothing will be decided tomorrow. But I think that, above all, we will put in a very strong performance to win the game, knowing that it is a two-legged tie.

We saw a lot of goals last week here at Fenerbahçe's stadium [against Feyenoord]. John Durán, En-Nesyri, and also Talisca. Who has given you the most headaches? Who have you been studying the most? Do you already know how you're going to stop them?

Above all, it's 11 against 11, it's a collective game. Of course, we know how strong Fenerbahçe's attack is, but above all, it's about understanding our defensive dynamics and trying to practice them in the best way possible, depending on what the coach thinks is best for the team.

You played a pre-season friendly against Fenerbahçe in Lisbon [Eusébio Cup]. Does that game give Benfica an advantage, or not? Are there any Fenerbahçe players who require extra defensive precautions? 

I think, above all, it was a preparation game for both teams, which served precisely that purpose, to prepare us for the season ahead. We didn't know we would be facing each other at this stage of the Champions League, but I think that's all it was, a preparation game.

Mário Branco [general director for Professional Football] is with the Benfica team this year. Did he share any information about Fenerbahçe from his time working at the club? Did he talk about the atmosphere?

I think that, in terms of atmosphere, all the players are familiar with the atmosphere in Turkish stadiums. Only the coach gave any indications about what the game will be like. We hope it will be a great game.

José Mourinho is very important, a famous figure in Portugal. What do you think of José Mourinho?

Everyone knows what Mourinho has done, the career he has had and the career he is still having. He is undoubtedly a reference in Portuguese football. But tomorrow [Wednesday] at the Estádio da Luz, Benfica can defeat not only José Mourinho, but also Fenerbahçe.