With a strong start in the match, as “it’s important that happens”, FC Porto started to build an early comfortable win against Paços de Ferreira at Estádio do Dragão (4-0). Sérgio Conceição congratulated the players for the “three important points” and explained that, like the “very strong team” that they are, FC Porto scored “in the opportunities” they created. All this to the sound of a “fantastic crowd”, whose “support was important”. The coach also talked of the “slight changes” the match needed and “of the training” to explain the three changes in the starting team. In the end, he left a word of appreciation to “the team, to José Mota and to the people of Paços de Ferreira”.

The strategy for the match
“It is important to have a strong start of the match. Last week it was too. There were moments after the goal where we allowed the opponent to get to our goal. We have to be consistent in our dynamics, with and without the ball. We knew Paços could change something, have five or six men in the back and we needed mobility, some dynamics with the ball in order to offer solutions to the man that was carrying the ball. We weren’t so good in taking spaces when we were attacking, there were situations in the first-half that I didn’t like so much. We are always a very strong team, we scored in the opportunities we had, congratulations to the players. There are things to improve, the team is always evolving individually and as a team. It was three important points, the crowd was fantastic as always, the support they gave today was important.”

The reason for the changes in the starting team
“I think the other forwards also have creativity. Galeno, who went in, is very strong in one-on-one situations, but we felt that, facing a low block, we needed to bring in some slight changes to the match to break their defence, hence my idea for the starting team.”

Justice based on the work done at Olival
“[Fábio Cardoso and Marcano played] for fairness. I never think about anything other than the training, the match and the day to day. It was fair that Fábio and Marcano took the central zone of our defence.”

A word to the opponent
“For the full 91 minutes, I’m in my place. In the end, I talked to them because I respect their managers and the team, who we are used to see in the first league. I also respect José Mota, who picked up a team that is in a delicate emotional state. A word for the team, for José Mota and for the people of Paços de Ferreira.”