THE international Ricardo Horta said today that Sporting de Braga wants to play in the Champions League football next season and respond to the bad moment in the reception to Gent, on Thursday, in the Conference League.
Addressing the departure of coach Carlos Vicens and the entry of Franclim Carvalho, Ricardo Horta recalled the now new coach’s recent stint as Artur Jorge’s assistant.
“The memories can only be good. We won a title (League Cup), we played in the Champions League and I fulfilled my dream of playing in that competition at this club. Knowing that this year the top three teams will go to the Champions League, we will do everything we can to play in that competition next season”, he said.
Sporting de Braga is ranked eighth in the championship, with 11 points, seven behind third place, occupied by Sporting and Santa Clara, but the experienced player believes in a recovery to the podium.
“As long as it is mathematically possible, we believe. We have the conditions and quality, without setting long-term goals. Go game by game and we want to start winning tomorrow (Thursday)”, he said, in anticipation of the reception to the Belgians.
Regarding Franclim Carvalho’s arrival, he revealed that the word “demand” was the most used in Tuesday’s training.
“We want to give an answer. What we have shown is not what the club demands. Tomorrow (Thursday), everything will not be perfect, because everything cannot change from one day to the next, but we want to show another image, we have the team and players for that. We just need a change of mentality”, he said.
Ricardo Horta also considered that “fans’ dissatisfaction is normal”.
“Braga fans are very demanding and we have to know how to deal with that. We had very good moments last season, this year not so much, the ball doesn’t go in and a club and coach live off results. We’ve only won one game in the last six and that can’t happen again. There has to be a reaction,” he said.
The striker has played in different positions this season, but plays “wherever the manager wants”.
“These are strategic game moments and perhaps they understand that I have the intelligence to do this. The manager already knows me and, as long as he puts me in the game, everything will be perfect”, he said.
Sporting de Braga and Gent face each other from 8pm on Thursday, at the Braga Municipal Stadium, a game that will be refereed by Andris Treimanis, from Latvia.
