“SWe truly want to value the game, football and the Portuguese League. Now, we are focused and focused on Casa Pia, on the strengths, weaknesses and what they can do, because this has been well identified and worked on”, he said, in preview of the match scheduled on Saturday, at 3:30 pm, at the José Gomes Stadium, which will once again host the Tricolores’ games after two games were banned due to insufficient pitch conditions, imposed by the League.
Pepa is not fooled by the less positive classification of Casa Pia, which occupies the 17th and penultimate position in the I League, having praised its competitiveness, at the level of the other teams that make up the Portuguese championship, and even considering that it “deserved to have more points” due to the performances it has performed.
“I say this often: any team in this League is very competitive, with good players, good structures and technical teams, and I’ve said this since the first week and our first round against Sporting. (Casa Pia) It’s a team that, if we look at the results of most of the teams positioned at the bottom, deserved to have more points than they have”, he stated.
The coach of the ‘tricolores’ was satisfied with the triumph over Fazendense, from the Portuguese Championship, in the third round of the Portuguese Cup (2-1), and highlighted the importance of having managed to end a sequence of three matches without winning, against Rio Ave (3-3), Académico de Viseu (2-0 defeat) and Arouca (1-0 defeat), all in the I League.
“We’ve already said it, that’s behind us. We’re going into the ninth round and we had a setback in terms of exhibition”, he assumed, bluntly, committed to keeping the Reboleira team on the road to victory.
The coach also confirmed that midfielder Kevin Jansson, who missed the match against Fazendense in the Portuguese Cup due to injury, is again available to compete, while midfielder Robinho is “close” to returning to the squad and is in doubt for the game.
Estrela da Amadora, 10th placed in the Portuguese First League, with 10 points, receives Casa Pia, 17th and penultimate placed, with four, in a game for the ninth round scheduled for Saturday, at 3:30 pm, at the José Gomes Stadium, in Amadora, with refereeing by Bruno Pires Costa, from the Viana do Castelo association.
