By Melody Gross )
The midfielder played his 100th match for the main team and took a trip down memory lane; But he also talks about the match with Inter
Florentino, along with Famalicao, celebrated the “unforgettable achievement” of playing for the 100th time for Benfica’s main team. “If I look back, time has gone by so quickly. Just yesterday I was a kid here on the Benfica campus chasing my dreams. I dreamed of playing for the first team and I have already reached 100 matches. For me, it is unforgettable.”
The 24-year-old midfielder returned for his first match with Nacional, on February 10, 2019, in the Matchday 21 match, which was marked, above all, by the 10-0 defeat that the Reds, then coached by Bruno Lage, achieved to Madeiran. In that match, Florentino came on in the 62nd minute, replacing Andreas Samaris.
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“It was a match that remained in the memories of all fans. We achieved a historic result at home against Nacional. I remember that I was expecting to participate and at half-time I was actually hoping to participate for the first time because the result was positive [3-0]. When I see the director inviting me to come, the moment comes when I wanted the most. I immediately ran and looked at the stadium and so many people. I went in, and there was a throw, I think it was from Andre Almeida, who passed me the ball on the first play. The first touch went well and I immediately felt comfortable and said to myself: “Now the game will go well.”
Florentino knew he could reach his 100th match for the Eagles against Famalicao, but added that “the main goal was to win.” “We succeeded in winning and winning well in front of our fans. “Playing 100 home games is really good,” he added.
The midfielder was asked about his nickname at Luz, and he said: “They call me the octopus because of the tackles and interceptions during the match. It is one of the strongest characteristics of my game, of course every player has his own characteristics, we complement each other and that is why we are a team. We don’t play individually, we play collectively. Since training, I have always tried to understand a lot about the game, understand everything the coaches said, and pay attention to details. The player in position 6 needs balance to attack and defend, and he has to be alert in all situations, because the game often passes through him. “I always try to anticipate and think a little to be in the right place.”
The balance of the path taken by Benfica is very positive: “It has been a beautiful and very long journey, starting from childhood. I remember when I joined Benfica I was still a central defender, I moved to right-back when I switched to playing 11-man football and there was a game, I think initially A or B, we didn’t have defensive midfielders, they were injured, and he asked me Manager if I want to play as a midfielder. “Of course, I want to come in,” I answered. I played as a midfielder, everything went well and I can understand that during this time, all the situations I went through contributed to me becoming the player I am today. that is great.”
He finally spoke about the confrontation with Inter, in the Champions League, on Wednesday, in Luz: “Our expectation is the same as always: honoring the slogan that we carry on our chests and entering with greater ambition, to win.” He finished.