After “a clear victory” over Estoril (4-0), Vítor Bruno praised the “solid game” of a team that “is confidence” and could “have scored one or two more goals” in addition to having kept the “clean sheet” for the fifth consecutive match.

Asked about replacing Alan Varela, the coach explained that the Argentinian midfielder was “conditioned” by the fact that he is about to banned for the number of yellow cards and “between having him restrained or Stephen without concerns”, he went for the second option.

Having clarified why the preview of this match was done at the press conference after the match against Moreirense and having given the guarantee that he is “on equal footing” with all the other coaches in the League, even though he had more time on the bench than some of his colleagues, the coach praised Pepê's “anthem to football”: “I like my players to be honest and he made the right decision, then he was paid back, as he got what he could have achieved at that moment”.

The match analysis
“It was a clear victory, and we could have scored one or two more goals, keeping the clean sheet, which is what we continue to look for, with solid foundations. After the 2-0, we slowed down a little, but also to force some space. Everyone gets impatient at times and we could have been faster with the ball at that point. In the second half, we talked about it, the passing speed increased, we scored the third and fourth goals and could have scored more, but it was a solid game and the team is confident”.

Alan Varela being replaced
"We felt that he wasn't playing to his full, playing conditioned and not at full capacity in these games, no one deserves it. It's not something conscious, he was just not playing to his full, and between having him thinking of not being banned or Stephen with no restrictions, we chose to send in Stephen. It wasn't management, it was looking for intensity, Varela was afraid of getting another yellow card."

The preview of the match
“No, we previewed the match anyway, but in a different space. It was an option, so we wouldn't have to be permanently doing press conferences and it allowed us to focus on ourselves and on the games, because there isn't enough time.”

The coach with the most time at the club of the “big three”
“I don't want to talk too much about it, as the president might hear it and decide on a change. But no, the reality is that Bruno Lage knows everything about Benfica, Carvalhal the same with Braga, and we are all on an equal footing”.

Pepê's fair play
“I think it's an anthem to football, perhaps the biggest we saw here today. I may be criticized for this, but I like my players to be honest and he made the right decision, then he was paid back, as he got what he could have achieved at that moment".