Sérgio Conceição refuses to give up on the title after the tie in Braga
FC Porto was unable to get more than a tie in Braga. Forced to win to keep the distance to the lead, the Dragons tied 0-0 to SC Braga, away, and saw the distance to Benfica increase to ten points, while remaining two ahead of this Sunday’s opponent. After the match, Sérgio Conceição regretted the waste of several opportunities by "a very competitive team" that had the "best situations to score" and "did everything to win", despite lacking "calm and maturity at times".
The two substitutions before the break
"As coach, I’m here to change things, be it 10, 15 or 90 minutes in. What was prepared was very similar to what we did at home when we won 4-1. We knew Braga exploits the space in the middle a lot, so Evanilson was helping Otávio and Mehdi dropped more to the left. We had to find the space to hurt Braga in a difficult match for both teams. For all the opportunities we create, we have been very ineffective in the attack, a big team with our opportunities in the last two matches... we can't have two matches in a row without scoring. Goals are getting harder to score."
Only work can solve problems
"There are nine matches left and we already had to win them. The confidence we need is the work, it’s being serious and dedicated on a day-to-day basis. Missing an easy goal can happen, but we lack serenity in incredibly bad situations when shooting for goal. We could have finished better, but we failed. We have to read the match in a smart and intense way, but that doesn't happen sometimes. We have to work on what we haven't done, but we proved to be a very competitive team. The best goal situations belonged to us and I think it would have been fair if we went home with a victory. Just like I would think it would have been fair if Braga scored at the end. It was a good match between two teams, we have to keep working and being who we are as a team and as a club."
A matter of mind set
"The team gave it all on the pitch, but lacked calm and maturity in some moments of the match. We have to realize that we represent FC Porto and that, in these environments, matches are difficult and everyone has to do a little more. Mind sets don’t change overnight and players also need time to evolve. It has nothing to do with the distance travelled, with the selfless way they play and how they face each play. It takes something more. That's part of our job, we will keep evolving, knowing that every point lost in the last third of the championship may be decisive. There are moments and phases like this, where we have seven or eight clear situations to score in the last two matches, and fail to do so. We are further away from the leader and we were eliminated from the Champions League. We look at it and realize what we have to do and what we have to improve."
Always looking in the eye
"In this house, at this club, and I've been here for a few years as a coach, also having started my career as a player here, you never, ever throw in the towel. You always look at the opponent in the eye. There are nine finals to play and we will look at the numbers in May. Always with our heads held up high, with maximum commitment and dedication. You can be sure of that, so I hope everyone keeps going and don't come talking to me about making comments to the team. I am speaking directly to everyone who loves FC Porto, to those who work for FC Porto. Everyone needs to go in the same direction and then in May we sit down, we look at our points, we look at what we did well and not so well, and at the schedule and planning for the next season."
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