Moments after the victory in Reboleira (1-0), Pepe, who combined an excellent defensive performance – six clearances, five steals and eight duels won – with an assistance for the only goal of the match, pointed out that “the team didn’t lose focus” after the forced changes in the first minutes and that it was always “in search of what the coach asked for”. The tactic used, which surprised by the line of three central defenders, "had been prepared for some time", since "the pre-season", "behind closed doors" and is "another lesson to face this season, which will be very hard", he added. The captain also congratulated the colleagues who made their debut in the starting team and concluded: "It is a sign that the team works well and we will always do our best to help FC Porto, regardless of who goes in".

A solid team, true to the ideas of the coach
"Unfortunately, I wasn’t fit for the national squad, but I worked well to recover for this game. The medical department did a great job and so did the physical trainers. We knew it was going to be a very difficult game, as we played against Estrela in the pre-season and they made our life very difficult. The coach prepared the game very well. We played with a line of three central defenders, and unfortunately Marcano picked up an early injury and then the same with Evanilson, but I think the team never lost focus. We were always a team in search of what the coach asked of us."

The preparation for the three central defenders
"We’ve been doing it for a while. In the pre-season, at times we worked on this behind closed doors. The coach felt that we had to fit better in Estrela da Amadora, so we prepared this game very well. It's one more lesson we have to face this season, which is going to be pretty tough."

The example of the full commitment to the club
"No, I don't think so [that David Carmo benefited from this tactic]. It is evident that he has many routines because he played like this at SC Braga, but it is proof that we work very hard to help the club, no matter who plays. That's what David Carmo did. I am very happy for him, Fran Navarro, Iván Jaime, Alan Varela and Gonçalo Borges. It is a sign that the team works well and we will always do our best to help FC Porto, regardless of who the coach sends in."