After the match against Benfica, which FC Porto won 3-1, Otávio stated that “the team deserved it”, something that Pepê reinforced, explaining that they knew “it was going to be a difficult match and we had to give everything”. Fábio Vieira made it clear that FC Porto was “far better than Benfica in every way” and Matheus Uribe pointed out that “the team is prepared for great things”, with Diogo Costa summing up: “We won, which was what we wanted, we played with our DNA and we will continue to do so, we will celebrate titles next year”.

Otávio
“The team deserved it. I missed a goal that could have ended the match, but the work of everyone in the team led us to victory. We had the same commitment as in the Cup match and we were able to win. There is confidence in all the players. The players who went in scored goals, that’s the strength of our squad, we want to keep going like this. We knew it was going to be a different match, completely different, but we worked for us, for our team. We focused on ourselves, we did a great job and now it’s time to rest and spend the year well, as we have another match on the weekend. In a mistake made by everyone, we conceded the 2-1, and with one more we controlled the game, we made it 3-1 and we could have scored more. These were two complicated matches, we are used to playing them, we are happy for the victory and now we will rest.”

Pepê
“This atmosphere is amazing, the fans, the setting of the match, it’s a wonderful feeling. I’m just so happy to have helped the team win. It’s a wonderful feeling to score in the first classic you play, I hope it’s the first of many. They told me to play as I do in training and in any other match, the coach gives us all the confidence we need, but we knew it was going to be a difficult match and that we had to give everything we have. Two victories in a row, it’s wonderful to give this joy to our fans, we are completely focused on the championship.”

Fábio Vieira
“It’s a fantastic feeling. We wanted to end the year with a victory, and it was fantastic to win in front of our fans. We knew it was going to be a very different match from the last one, but if we remained true to ourselves we were going to come out of it happy. There wasn’t too much confidence, we knew this was going to be much more complicated and it was. We managed to score the first goal, we were far better than Benfica in every way, and we deserved to win. It was a lost ball on the right side, I managed to control the ball forward, shot with power and, as they say, I almost closed my eyes and shot for goal with confidence that I would score. I helped the team and I’m very happy. I felt well, we all work for opportunities, I’m another one here to help, the coach believed in me and in Pepê, but if he had done the same with other players, the response would have been the same. We’re a very strong group and we’ll stay that way until the end. It’s something that I hadn’t experienced before, hearing the fans chanting my name. I scored my first goal here without any fans and scoring with them is a fantastic feeling. Above all, it’s a great victory for the team, we will start 2022 in the lead and that’s what we care about.”

Matheus Uribe
“The ball-catcher was the man of the match. That’s the mindset here at FC Porto, we all know that we are important to the team, even the ball-catchers. Today, the team showed we are prepared for big things and we are in the lead, which is the most important thing. It is always important to get individual awards, but they are secondary when the team does good things. If one player stands out in the game, that’s because all the players contributed to it. Everyone was excellent and that’s what made the team win today. These matches are important, not just because of what the Cup and the League represent, but also because it’s a classic, because of the atmosphere in the stadium, it’s very important. This is a prize for all the fans and we wish them a good start into the new year.”

Diogo Costa
“I felt very well, we were great. We won, which is what we wanted, we played with our DNA and we will continue to do so, to celebrate titles next year. We know we haven’t won anything and that there’s still a long way to go. For us and for the club, it’s always great, we play to win in every match. We are very happy to have won this match, we are going to celebrate it, but there is still a lot to play for and we will work with our feet firmly on the ground. Benfica came into the second-half determined to change the score and we weren’t able to counter that, but, after they scored, we took control of the match. We love seeing Estádio do Dragão full and I want to thank the fans for always being here.”