FC Porto tied with Palmeiras in the opening game of the Club World Cup (0-0) and Martín Anselmi praised “the attitude of the players and the way they fought until the end” against an opponent that was “very intense, presses a lot and has a lot of options”. In the aftermath of a “very tight game”, the Argentinian coach emphasised the attitude of Cláudio Ramos, “who showed he deserved a vote of confidence”, the “great start” of Gabri Veiga, who made his first-team debut, and the defensive versatility of Martim Fernandes who allows him to “alternate between a line of three and four, depending on the rival's pressure”.

A summary of the 90 minutes
"It was a very tight game. We had some good moments, in the first half we controlled the ball well and it wasn't easy because they're intense players and they press a lot. We lacked precision to finish our plays. We started the second half well, but we let ourselves go. They've been working hard on these aspects, they're in a competitive phase. For us this is the first game after a break and against a rival that has a lot of options. I'd like to emphasise the attitude of our players and the way they fought until the end."

Gabri Veiga's debut
"He went in very well. We realised that they were going to exploit the left wing with Anderson and Estêvão, so we sent in Moura and Gabri Veiga. We did it so well that Estêvão had to switch wings because he couldn't cause any danger. They wore us down a lot, played with a lot of depth and created danger. For his first game, he did very well. It's clear that he needs pace to be able to play more minutes."

Cláudio Ramos' performance
"It shows that we're a team. To fight for titles we have to be a team, play as a team and live as a team. Everyone has to be ready because your chance could come at any time. I've always shown confidence in Cláudio and today he showed that he deserves that vote."

Martim in the centre
"We had already played him in that position in the Portuguese League. He gives us some versatility as we can switch between a line of three and four, depending on the rival's pressure. He's adapting very well defensively and I'm very happy with him."

The pitch
"The pitch made us inaccurate, especially in the first half when we found some advantages and caused us to make some mistakes in our movement. As I said in the preview, the pitch is the same for both teams, so we had to adapt."

A strong group
"The next game is always the most important. Winning in football isn't easy, nobody gives you anything and everyone competes. Today there was a big difference in one of the World Cup matches, but that's not the case with this group. The next two rivals have quality, we saw that yesterday, so we're focused on the next two games, on doing our job and on continuing to develop. I'm glad this was the first game because it gave us a good pace and from now on we're ready. It was important to play against Palmeiras in the first game."

Father's Day in Argentina
"It's part of life. We have to appreciate the fact that we're here and can compete and represent a club as big as FC Porto at world level. I miss my family. I'm lucky to still have my dad, but I haven't been with them on this day for a while. I think it's all about balance. What they take from us on one side, they give us on the other. Being here alongside this group and representing a great club is also a marvellous present, not just for Father's Day, but also for my birthday next month."

Worthy opponent
"A transition in the rival's half is different to a transition after losing the ball in our area. Palmeiras' clearest chance in the first half is to their credit. We wanted to balance it out as we knew they're very effective in transition. In football you can't control everything."

The team entrance
"I prefer the traditional version. So much spectacle on top of spectacle is redundant."

The atmosphere in the dressing room
"Everyone knows how the season ended and we want to clean up that image. We have to fight and compete until the last minute. Then the result will come. The competition comes first and then the result. We want to win every competition we play in. We were born to win and we like to win. I'd like to remind that we've just come back from a break and, although we've played a few friendlies, it's not the same. I think we competed very well and gave the image we wanted, in terms of fighting and not giving up. This game is the kick-off for what we want to be and do. Competing like this will bring more joy than sorrow. I get the feeling that we were a team and that's the most important thing. That's how we're going to be the FC Porto that the fans want to see."