FC Porto is in the semi-finals of the Portuguese Cup for the seventh time in the last seven years – ever since Sérgio Conceição took over as coach. Back in Ponta Delgada to play the missing 63 minutes of the qualifying round at Estádio São Miguel, the winners of last season’s cup, were able to overturn a disadvantage and beat Santa Clara thanks to the goals scored by Evanilson and Galeno (2-1).

After the match, the blue and white coach talked of “a game with many duels, shots and lost balls” in which he had to change “some important situations” and in which the players could “have scored one or two more” goals. "There are many games to play and we have to face the rest of the season as if each game were the last", the blue and white coach stated

Match analysis
“In one minute, we conceded two goals, one at the end of the match in Barcelos and another one today, right at the start. These are situations that we have to correct, due to the opponent, but the team was calm and understood what they had to do. We were playing against eleven men and against the wind, I’ve already been banned for saying this, but the wind made life difficult for us. It was a game with many duels, shots and lost balls, and, playing against the wind, we knew we were going to have more possession and we went in very strong. We changed some important situations in the offensive organization and defensively, and we continued to have a line of three, with Pepê on one side and Galeno on the other. We three men facing Santa Clara's three central defenders, we scored two goals, we could have scored one or two more, they hit the post once, it was a tough game and a good victory. It doesn't give us anything, it just gets us in the semi-finals of the Portuguese Cup.”

Half time talk
“The strategy was to go in strong for the first half and get Galeno closer to Evanilson. Francisco was the third man in the attacking line, João Mário on one side, Galeno on the other and the other three behind. We wanted to score goals, win the game, have more presence in the front and so we sent in Danny Namaso. Things went well, we settled down, things started to go better in the second half and we reached the goals.”

Game by game
“There are a lot of games to play and we have to face the rest of the season as if each game were the last. The last game for me, the players, the people of the different departments and the fans, who are demanding. They know that the competitive attitude is always there and in the end we will see if the season was positive.”

The Classic on Sunday
“I was watching this game and thinking solely and exclusively about this one. If thinking only about this one we had difficulties, imagine if I was thinking about two matches at the same time.”

Galeno and Evanilson
“Galeno's knee is a little swollen, but I haven't talked to the medics yet, only the player. Evanilson also seemed to have complaints later on, which is why I replaced him. We'll see how these injuries evolve as time goes by.”