In the Portuguese Cup Round of 16, Benfica will face Farense. Ahead of the match, Benfica coach José Mourinho attended a press conference, where he addressed various topics and situations.
Does the Personnel Changes Mean the Team's Tactical System Will Change or Remain Unchanged?
Nowadays, analyzing tactical systems from a single-system perspective is somewhat complex. There are various ways to press. Personnel changes mean we have to modify certain aspects. For example, using Orsnes on the right or left wing, or Schildrup, who is a true winger. It is these subtle differences that will prompt us to make some tactical adjustments. We have analyzed Farense's overall situation carefully; we must adapt and adjust—if we don't change, we won't be able to compete with the opponent in some aspects.
You Criticized the Players' Attitude Against Sporting CP. How Will You Prepare to Avoid Repeating the Mistake?
That game actually marked a turning point for our team. The players are increasingly recognizing and understanding each other. As you all know, I will wholeheartedly forgive Dalot for his mistake against Bayer Leverkusen and Thomas for his penalty miss. But there's one thing I can never accept: a drop in the players' concentration level—that's one of the things I can never let go of. We faced difficulties even in the game against Chaves. We know we'll face difficulties against Farense; they won't surprise us. This is a physically strong team that doesn't care much about game principles. But we know difficulties will arise, and we must be able to respond. This road is not easy—we haven't played at the Estádio da Luz for three consecutive games. We need to keep moving forward steadily.
You Just Mentioned the Speech Marked a Change. Is the Main Target of Psychological Warfare the Team Itself?
I think what made me famous in football are the many trophies I've won, not the trivial things I say or what you might call nonsense. Communicating with you reporters is actually a way for me to connect with the players. Usually, before or after talking to you, I have already spoken to them or will soon. What I tell you is what I say to the players at halftime. This doesn't mean I adopt a different psychological approach. Every game is just a game. The so-called aura will eventually fade, moments of great difficulty will pass, and everything has an end. Now we are in a good phase, and we must have the mental strength to always crave more and pursue better.
Barreiro Is Absent from Tomorrow's Game. What Lineup Will You Field?
Leandro won't be available tomorrow; we'll check his physical condition again on Monday. I take this opportunity to wish Vasco a speedy recovery—he seems like a very good kid, and I hope everything goes well. The players who won't be on the pitch tomorrow will be on the bench. This doesn't mean we'll take the game lightly; we won't. The starting point of our personnel adjustments is to give playing time to players who deserve the opportunity, not because a player is in urgent need of rest. Otamendi will play; one or two players won't, maybe two or three. Having these players on the bench gives me a certain sense of security. Our goal is to win this knockout game. It's another away trip—we don't have the chance to play at home. In the draw, we have to go to another place to be the relatively luckier side.
You Have Been Fielding Five Midfielders. How Does It Feel Different from Before?
There has been a significant improvement in team cohesion. For a team that is compact defensively and safe in game management, the opponent hasn't had a single shot on our goal in the first 15 to 20 minutes. Even if we can't dominate the game, we won't be at a disadvantage. Having players who can find attacking depth with speed adds another dimension I want to the team. The team is progressing well in this direction and growing. When we encountered a few unsatisfactory results, no one panicked. Similarly, now that the team is playing well, we must keep a calm mind.
Pavlidis Is One of the Top Scorers in Europe. Where Does He Rank in Your Mind?
I never make rankings and refuse to do so. Because I have immense respect for those who have given me a lot of help and support. Take the goalkeepers I've coached: Baía, César, Cech, Lloris. Now try to imagine the center-backs, right-backs. In my opinion, Pavlidis is an extremely excellent player. He is the type of forward who makes non-zero contributions even if he doesn't score. Moreover, he has the qualities to play as an attacking midfielder because he has excellent organizational skills. I admire him very much. At the same time, I like the growth process Ivanović is going through and the strong psychological resilience he has shown after being out of action for three months. All of us are making progress little by little.
Will There Be Any Surprises in Tomorrow's Team Lineup?
Banjaki, apart from the players promoted from the youth academy, is the only new face who will be called up. Neto and Freitas have gone to Funchal. I hope they can get more playing opportunities for their own development—they really need games to temper themselves. Today's game in Madeira is at the Primeira Liga level because Marítimo is a team with Primeira Liga strength. This also opens the door for more players to be selected for the team: Obrador is back, and Banjaki will be selected for the first time.
Will Manu Silva Start Tomorrow's Game?
Yes, he will start. Enzo will be on the bench next to me. The two of them have similar styles and roughly the same activity areas, and they both have excellent game reading abilities in both defensive and offensive phases. Although they are not particularly fast, their ability to read the game is strong. Moreover, both of them are very capable in set pieces. In the days when Manu was unavailable, we were restricted in some aspects. Now he is starting to stand out—when he is in good form, it is undoubtedly a good thing for our team. Having two players in each position brings stability to the team.
