"The important thing is to give my all to help the team"

Barreiro and João Rego, players from Benfica's professional football team, were at the Suits Inc store in Colombo Shopping Center on Thursday, February 6, for an autograph session.

It was an opportunity for the fans to meet the two players - they could collect autographs in the store of one of Benfica's official partners - and for Barreiro to emphasize that the team led by Bruno Lage is “always focused” on the goals ahead of them in the 2024/25 season.

The Luxembourg international midfielder confessed to feeling “very happy” at Benfica, stressing that “the most important thing is the work”, in individual and collective terms, in order to achieve the goals set.

What is the importance of this kind of action, as players, as a team, of contact with the Benfica fans?

Yes, we know that contact with the fans is very important. It's the fans who are always supporting us, off and on the pitch, and seeing the fans happy, having those special moments here, is also important to us.

The team is coming off the back of two consecutive wins. How is morale in the dressing room? There are important games coming up, with Moreirense and Monaco, the latter for the Champions League...

Morale is positive. Every game is important. We're working hard, on and off the pitch, always focused on our goals.

New players have arrived in the squad. What's your first impression of your new teammates?

It's a positive opinion. We're doing everything we can to integrate them in the best way possible, and to put them into the systems we have out on the pitch as well as on the pitch. The first impression is positive.

You were one of the first signings to arrive at Benfica at the start of the season. Would you like to play a more active role in the team?

The important thing is to give my all to help the team, every day, in training, at work, in matches, to show my abilities, and then to respect the manager's decisions.

Benfica played nine games over the course of a month, and now there's a full week's break. What's the team's biggest challenge in the upcoming series of games? The opponent, or is it more the physical issue?

At Benfica we're used to playing every three days. The demands are always high, from our side and also from the fans, we understand that. The important thing is always the work. The work, the next game, which is now on Saturday, to do our best to win the game, that's obvious, that's our goal, and to prepare ourselves in the best way for the game.

Is it more important to win this weekend against Moreirense, given that FC Porto and Sporting will meet on this matchday?

We have to win our games. We can't influence the other games, we have to focus on our quality on the pitch, on our work.

Which result would suit you best in tomorrow's [Friday's] clássico?

I'm focused on Saturday's game, tomorrow, that's not up to me.

But they could be three points off first place if FC Porto win. This would also help them to reach the top of the table...

The important thing is that we win the game on Saturday.

You've been here since the start of the season. What are the main differences you notice between coach Roger Schmidt and coach Bruno Lage?

I think the important thing for me is to understand the manager's ideas and to show my abilities on and off the pitch, and to work hard.

What is your assessment of these months at Benfica?

I'm very happy here, that's the most important thing.