"The motto is to be more rational than emotional "

PREVIEW

Aware of the importance of Benfica-Fenerbahçe, the second leg of the Champions League, play-off, Bruno Lage stressed the need for the Eagles to show “tactical intelligence” in order to achieve their goal, after the 0-0 draw in Istanbul.

Given that this game is being considered a final, a very important game, what kind of atmosphere and support do you expect tomorrow [Wednesday] at Estádio da Luz, and also considering the first leg in Istanbul?

The most important thing was what Enzo [Barrenechea] emphasized. It's the enormous desire we have to play in the Champions League. We know how important it is financially and strategically for the Club, but we have to win the game, and to win the game we have to be aware that on the other side we have a Champions League team, we have a team full of players of enormous quality and a coach who knows the competition very well and has already won it twice. Coach José Mourinho knows Benfica very well, coach José Mourinho knows the Estádio da Luz very well, and tomorrow [Wednesday] the motto has to be for us all to be more rational than emotional in the atmosphere on and off the pitch. With this in mind, I am anticipating a tactical game in which we, as a team on the pitch, must have the patience and intelligence to win the game. We have at least 90 minutes to win the game, and we must have fantastic support from the fans, who must understand the moments of the game and understand what is happening at each moment. And I think the most important motto for everyone, both on and off the field, is to be more rational than emotional so that we can play a great game that matches the caliber of our opponent, both as a team and in terms of individual players, as well as the coach who guides them.

Emotionally speaking, for a player to play in the Champions League, they don't need to do anything because they are automatically motivated. In terms of responsibility, how is the team doing? Looking at this situation, if Benfica is left out of the Champions League, is it a financial problem?

Responsibility is in every game. Since the beginning of the season, we had a trophy to win, there were games we had to win to reach the next stage, we had to start the Championship differently from how we did last year. Our responsibility is always at its highest, our motivation is to win and play for Benfica, to always be on top. And what we think about is how we are going to win the next game.

After the game against Tondela, Trubin and António Silva were confirmed. Meanwhile, you also revealed the defensive line. You also said that Mourinho knew who the others would be. Can you clarify the starting XI?

It was a joke that backfired [smiles], I didn't want to give too much away, because otherwise coach Mourinho would have known. Don't take it the wrong way. I've already given you half the information, the goalkeeper and the defensive line. Perhaps that was also the easiest to anticipate. Regardless of the starting eleven or the tactical system that can be drawn up based on the players' positions, the most important thing is that we know very well what we have to do in terms of offense and defense and, once again, know how to maintain a high level of emotional control, be smart enough to understand the moment of the game very well, because we have at least 90 minutes to win.

In response to the first leg, you underlined the importance of having three midfielders to match the opponent's three midfielders. Do you feel the same importance in this home game? Since you can't count on Florentino, does that open the door for João Veloso to start, who also knows Fenerbahçe because he played against them in the Eusébio Cup?

The door is open to many people. More important than playing with three midfielders, or not, is having the ability, depending on the players who play, to know how to control our opponent's midfielders, and that will also be something we are considering. What kind of midfielders may or may not play, whether Talisca can also play as a midfielder or second striker, etc. These are all variables of our opponent that we understood well in the two games we played, particularly in the last one, also depending on the changes that the coach made throughout the game. The most important thing, as I said, is to be prepared, when we don't have the ball, to be aggressive in defense, to be aggressive in our duels, and, when we have the ball, to know how to look for spaces in the opponent's goal.

I won't ask you about any other players in the starting eleven, you've already mentioned five... With one week to go before the transfer window closes, does participation in the Champions League have a big impact on the possible addition or exit of players?

We have a strategy that was defined at the end of last season. As such, my concern is tomorrow's game, and other matters are in the hands of the president to resolve. 

Prestianni has already had more minutes, he came on against Tondela and scored a goal. If no other right winger comes to Benfica, could Prestianni take a prominent place and be Aursnes' official substitute?

You're already going down the wrong path, which is to put Prestianni in as someone's substitute. That's not how we see it. Regardless of whether he plays on the right or the left, whenever he is called upon, he has to contribute with the good performance he has been showing.

You told us at the beginning that you expected a very tactical game, which is what happened in Turkey. Do you know the right way to surprise José Mourinho, a coach you know well and who also knows you very well? Do you feel you have to take more risks than you did in Turkey? It was a tie that both teams approached as a two-legged match. In this second leg, will you have to take more risks?

I don't agree with your analysis about a two-legged match. We think about the game in terms of when we don't have the ball, we have to defend, everyone behind the ball line. Regardless of whether it's a high block or a lower block, we have to be in a block, together, compact, we have to be aggressive in defense. And then, with the ball, we have to have the same aggressiveness in looking for ways to score. I understand your point, which is why my contribution was that we all have to be more rational than emotional, both on and off the pitch. We have at least 90 minutes to win the game. The goal is to get to the end of the game, to win, and secure qualification for the Champions League. 

Tomorrow you will have the third game against Fenerbahçe. In your analysis of this team, what are the strengths, pros, and cons of this opponent?

On the plus side, it is a Champions League team, with players of enormous quality and a coach who has won the competition twice. It is also a very aggressive team in defense, whether playing high or low. It is a very strong team in transitions, which dominates the game very well with its two strikers, and this was very evident in the way they scored their goals against Feyenoord. It is also a very strong team in organized attack, with many crosses to the strikers and many midfielders who can shoot from mid-range, outside the box. They are a top team with a top coach, but that does not take away our ambition to be at our best tomorrow to win the game.

If Benfica is eliminated, will it be a big surprise for you?

I am thinking about winning the game.