Alex Telles, Otávio and Sérgio Oliveira admitted to their happiness about the blue and white victory over SC Braga (3-1), at Estádio do Dragão, for matchday one of the 2020/21 edition of the championship
The national champions beat SC Braga at Estádio do Dragão, 3-1, and started the new edition of the league in the best possible way. Alex Telles, the scorer of the last two goals for the blue and whites, was pleased to be named Man of the Match, but made a point of stating that the victory of the team is what really matters. His countryman Otávio, and Sérgio Oliveira, who tied the match, also talked of a sense of mission accomplished.
Alex Telles
“The team and I played a great match. It was a difficult opponent. Braga came here playing just like last year, and we knew we had to play well. We are pleased to win and to play with this crest. I am very happy. I deeply believe in my skills and I focused on my work. I am happy to help, and what matters is that FC Porto won. The Man of the Match nomination is my answer. People write what they want in the newspapers. I am focused on my work, the coach and my teammates know this. If I had any way of knowing what’s going to happen, I wouldn’t need people working for me outside the pitch. I focus on what I have to do on the pitch.”
Otávio
“Last year, we had difficulties against Braga, but I think we controlled the match this year. We held the ball and got to their area from the first to last minute. Even with just three midfielders, we always had four or five players in the area and that’s how we scored the first goal. I think the entire group played a good match, even the newcomers, who joined recently to help, like Zaidu and Taremi. We are feeling well, focused on what we have ahead of us, and we are going to fight for it. We remained calm, we knew that we were playing a good match. They had us once, in a back pass, and scored, so that’s what we need to correct, but went for the victory. We were able to turn the score around in the first-half and, in the second-half, we won the match. I felt well, we worked hard in the pre-season and now we need to rest for the next match. It’s hard to play without audience, but we know what this stadium is like when it’s full, so we imagine that the fans are on the stands, supporting us, like they do when we leave the hotel and when we get to the stadium. We know they always have our backs, like last season, and this victory is also for them.”
Sérgio Oliveira
“We knew this would be a complicated match, against a good team, and a well-defined strategy. We prepared for this match for a week, aiming at taking advantage from one or two of their weaknesses. Our weapons always rely on playing deep and being aggressive in how we play, and that was determinant. Scoring with my head is something that I have been training on, especially when I get to the area, as it’s normal that I have more opportunities to do so, and, if I have quality to score, I can be decisive as well. We are still starting, we need to keep our feet on the ground, as this was only one match; it was important to start well at home, especially against Braga, which is always difficult. We played a great match, but we need to continue and win the next one as well, or this will have been for nothing. As for the fans, it’s a shame that they aren’t with us, but we need to respect that, given the circumstances. Either way, they are always on our mind. They always try to be where they can be, and we thank them from the heart and try to give everything in every match, for them and for this club.”
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