"We must carry on like this": the players' reaction

Benfica's home match against Maccabi Haifa, on matchday 1 of group H of the Champions League, ended with a 2-0 win at Estádio da Luz. Grimaldo, named the "Man of the Match", the first timers in the European competition António Silva and  Aursnes and João Mário shared the first post-match impressions. 

GRIMALDO

"I am, above all, happy for the triumph"

"I think I've scored some similar goals from that distance. It's something I've practiced for many years, and when I get the chance, I like to shoot from distance. Fortunately, it was a goal and helped the team. I am, above all, happy for the victory. I wanted to score a goal to dedicate to my wife, who is pregnant, and our daughter."

ANTÓNIO SILVA

"The important thing is the team's victory"

"I felt very good [on my Champions League debut]. Hearing the Champions League anthem makes me and my family very proud. It's one more match in my journey, I hope, but the important thing is for the team to win. We must carry on like this. Nico [Otamendi] is a very experienced player, he has many years of football experience and I try to learn as much as I can from him."

AURSNES

"It's very good to be here"

"It's a great feeling, something you aspire to when you're younger and it's special, we face good teams. I have been very well received and it has been very good to be here. We are a fantastic team. We finished the match against Maccabi Haifa, Juventus is next. Today was an important victory, now we must carry on like this."

JOÃO MÁRIO

"We are on the right track"

"Maccabi Haifa is a very organized team, they played all over the midfield, and it was difficult in the first half. While these teams play like that, are physically well, it's always difficult, but we managed to get around it in the second half, we scored early and controlled until the end. Maccabi Haifa didn't surprise us, we were expecting very skilled players and a difficult team, and the game was complicated. It will be in Turin, here [Estádio da Luz] against Paris [Saint-Germain], and in Paris. It’s the Champions League. We are on the right track, but as soon as a match ends, the team's concern is to recover for the next one."