Nuno Gomes was in the pre-game press conference of the FINAL of the Taça da Liga against Sporting. Pre-game conferences usually called the "antevisão" in Portuguese. It's this Saturday in Sporting's stadium, Alvalade, March 21, 2009. He sat next to Sporting captain João Moutinho.
English translation:
About winning the final:
Nuno Gomes "Even if we win the final of the Taça da Liga we continue being unhappy for our position in the league. A victory can help us psychologically, where Benfica depends on others to win the league. In this Saturday's game, we only depend on ourselves to win."
(Mesmo vencendo a final da Taça da Liga continuaremos descontentes com a posição em que estamos no campeonato. Uma vitória poderá ajudar animicamente a equipa para a Liga, onde o Benfica depende de terceiros para conseguir o título. No jogo do próximo sábado, dependemos apenas de nós para vencer")
About losing the last home game against Vitória de Guimarães, that made them lose at the same time the second place in the table:
"Unfortunately, we lost the last game in the league. This is a different game. It's a final and we're going to try to be our best in the field to deserve the victory. It's the first time that we [Benfica] play a final of the League cup. We'll do everything we can to win it. We want to win it and bring the trophy to our stadium. Overall, I hope it will be a good show that ends in victory for Benfica."
(Infelizmente perdemos o último jogo do campeonato. Mas este é um jogo diferente, é uma final, e vamos tentar ser melhores dentro do campo para merecer a vitória. É a primeira vez que estamos na final da Taça da Liga e as finais são para vencer. Queremos ganhar e trazer o troféu para o nosso estádio. Acima de tudo, espero que seja um bom espectáculo que termine com a vitória do Benfica)
About the criticisms of Quique Flores for making Benfica lose their last game:
"It's normal that there are criticisms when one loses. The president already wsaid that he counts with the coach. The group is also with the coach because we think that he's a great coach. He has new ideas and because he has a project that has to be achieved until the end."
(É normal existirem críticas quando se perde. O presidente já disse que contava com o treinador. O grupo também está com o treinador, porque consideramos que é um óptimo treinador, com ideias inovadoras, e porque é um projecto que tem de ser levado até ao fim)
"In Benfica, all the games are important and demand the best of each of us. That's how I think and how I act. However, the finals are special and they're always made to win!."
(No Benfica, todos os jogos são importantes e devem exigir o máximo de cada um de nós. É assim que eu penso e é assim que os assumo. Mas as finais são especiais e sempre para ganhar!)
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I'm going for Sporting to win this. Quique is under enormous pressure to at least win this trophy this season, since the league is practically out of the question.
If David Suazo is considered fit then he'll play this Saturday and be caleld up for the Honduars national team game on March 29, 2009. Suazo, has been struggling with muscle injury.
Oscar Cardozo- the striker who was in the starting lineup in the last Benfica game was out of shape and did not convince Benfica fans. Will Quique risk, swallow his pride and dare to put Nuno Gomes in the starting lineup? I sure hope so.
Nuno Gomes is always so classy in his statements. When he was asked about Quique, it was his chance to criticize or complain about him being a substitute. He could have said something like 'I'm not happy on the bench, its' normal..." Yet, he instead chose the high-road, and said that Quique is a good coach and that the whole team is with him. Good for him!!!
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