With just one defeat (against Rio Ave) in their last 14 matches from the three national competitions, Arauca are on the rise preparing to face Sergio Conceicao’s FC Porto. In addition, away from home, Arauco’s team recorded only one defeat (0-4), in the first round of the league, on August 5, against Benfica.
In this encouraging scenario, coach Armando Evangelista imagined a duel on Wednesday (21.15 hours) at the Estádio do Dragão. We know the difficulties we will face. We will face the national champion with the title, but we also intend to create difficulties for FC Porto. We are aware of the differences between the two teams, both budgetary and logistical, but intend to minimize these differences on the pitch. This is what I ask of my players, to believe in what we are doing, and to think about our strategy and the value of our group, because we want to continue the good moment that we are going through and achieve a good result, ”he said.
“Porto is a very intense team, and it is one of the best teams in the tournament in terms of reaction to loss, which is a great aspect of it. They are a very strong team in attacking depth and very secure in the rotation. It’s a team that is used to winning, so we have to know how to adapt to that. Our levels of focus, competitiveness and courage must be at their limits. Armando Evangelista answered about the strategy to be implemented in the Porto stronghold.
Like the blue and whites, Arouca continues to play on three fronts – the league, the Portuguese taca and the taça da Liga – a moment that Armando Evangelista sees not as a stressor, but rather as “a powerful motivator for the team.” Facing the best makes us grow and be better too. I consider that the very difficult matches stimulate our senses and I think this will provide our players with faster growth for the rest of the tournament.”
However, not all is rosy for Aruka’s coach, who is facing several heavy losses on the team due to the encounter with the dragons. “I think we won’t have 20 players to take to this match.” In addition to the absence of central defender Velasquez and midfielder Pedro Moreira, there is desolation in the offensive front, as he will not be able to rely on wingers Vitino and Arsenio or Rafa Mojica, the team’s top scorer.
“We have to believe in the players available, and even with these limitations we can play a good game,” declared the Arouquenses coach in previewing the eleventh meeting between the two emblems, and we did it only once. The smile of victory over the Rockies 2-1 in Dragao in 2016.
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