Jesus plays it safe and bets everything in the Cup of Portugal
The Benfica coach said that he will “bet with all his chips” on Friday’s match against Paços de Ferreira, of the Portuguese Cup of football, as it is a competition that aims to win.
At a press conference in Seixal, Jorge Jesus began by assuring that he does not know “which is the most important game”, between the Portuguese Cup and the Champions League, on Tuesday, against Barcelona, but he ended up playing it safe and betting on the queen competition of Portuguese football.
“This game from Paços [de Ferreira] it is a goal to win an award. The Champions game is a passing goal. win the trophy [europeu], we can dream, I’ve been dreaming about it for many years, but it’s completely different. So, one thing at a time, and where you bet with all the chips, the ones I know are available to bet, it will be for tomorrow [sexta-feira]”, took on.
Before, Jesus had already explained that the Portuguese Cup is “an old passion”, for him and Benfica supporters, and that the first goal in the Champions League (reaching the group stage) “has been conquered”, he said that “the second [objetivo] is trying to pass the group stage “but placed both on an equal footing.” Which is the most important? I do not know. For me it’s the two “, shot the technician.
Thus, Jesus will make decisions about the players who will line up against Paços de Ferreira or rest for the challenge with Barcelona, knowing that “Lucas Veríssimo, Rodrigo Pinho and Diogo Gonçalves” are cards out of the deck, in addition to the players who were in the selections and “they must not be able to start the game with Paços”.
As is the case of Gonçalo Ramos, who “had the opportunity to score four goals” in two games for the Portuguese Under-21 team, but faces, in the forward position, a competition of several players “international for their countries”.
“I think that gave me some confidence, to score goals, but I had to work with me, for two weeks, Darwin and Aris [Seferovic]. Yaremchuk and he were out [Gonçalo Ramos]. Therefore, the priority is for those who have been working with me”, anticipated Jesus.
Moreover, the absences and fatigue of international players may even lead the coach of the eagles to return to the tactical system of four defenders, instead of the three central defenders that he has shown in the last cycle of games.
“It’s a chance. Two players who have been starting players for most of the games, if Lucas [Veríssimo] is out and so is Otamendi, it’s natural that we can play in another system. We worked for a week thinking about it, “he admitted.
Benfica host Paços de Ferreira, on Friday, in the fourth round match of the Portuguese Cup of football, scheduled for 20.45 hours, at Estádio da Luz.
The team coached by Jorge Jesus qualified for this tie with a 2-1 victory, after extra time, against Trofense, in Liga Portugal 2, while the beavers won 3-0 at Águias Moradal, from the districts of White Castle.