Roger Schmidt: "I really like the diversity of our team"

INTERVIEW

Words do not deceive and express the deepest and most genuine feelings: Roger Schmidt is a happy man and a happy coach at Sport Lisboa e Benfica! After six months as the head coach of the Eagles' professional football team, the coach makes a recap of the path in an interview with BPlay. 

ADAPTATION

"It was very easy. The quality of life in Portugal, particularly in Lisbon, is very good. I knew that from the start. I didn’t know that the people were so welcoming and that I would feel at home so quickly. So, my adaptation was very easy. Then, of course, working at the Club, I integrated very quickly as I got to know the staff. It was a really simple adjustment."

MAGNITUDE OF BENFICA

"I would say that everyone knows the magnitude of Benfica, even by the number of Members, but to really understand how big it is, you need to be in Lisbon or in Portugal. I think that by being there, by experiencing the love and passion for Benfica, both in the Club and in the city, you realize that it has a huge role, not only in Lisbon but in the whole country. There are always Benfiquistas with us when we play in Lisbon and in away matches. It is always special, and I have to admit that I have never experienced something like this before."

GROUP STAGE

"It was surely our goal, after qualifying for the Champions League, to get through the group stage and reach the round of 16. With Juventus, PSG, and Maccabi, we had a clearly complicated group. That's why at first, we didn't care about finishing first or second, but of course, closer to the end, especially after the double clash with PSG, we knew that first place was within our reach. It was an improbable last matchday: PSG beat Juventus and we won in Israel. The fact that it came down to the tiebreaker by goal difference was surprising, and it was a matter of momentum, but we also showed that we are capable of giving everything and doing things right until the end. It makes a huge difference to finish first or second, not only in the draw but also by playing at home in the 2nd leg."

PLAYING STYLE

"In pre-season, we tried to build the foundations of our game and the way we wanted to play, and then we continued to develop them throughout the season. The only time you can train with the team is during the pre-season, then you have to keep working as the matches take place because playing every three days there isn't much time left to train as a collective. But the team implemented everything very well. I think they like to play like that, too. We quickly got lined up and made some very good transfers. The players who arrived this season fit in very well. Success breeds confidence and the team gets on a positive wave, so I think we've been successful." 

CLUB BRUGGE KV

"There is still a long time to go, in my opinion, so I'm not focused on that match I don't know much about Club Brugge. Of course, they are a strong team, with many young and talented players. I will start thinking of them as opponents in a month or two. We still have some time. For now, let's rest a bit, concentrate on the League Cup, the League, and the Portuguese Cup, and later we'll think about the Champions League."

RELATIONSHIP WITH THE PLAYERS

"I think nowadays when playing internationally, the ambition is to have the team playing at a top level every three days. The players are all individuals. They are human.  To get the best out of a person, you have to create an emotional connection, over and over again. To prepare them, you have to treat them on an individual basis, too."

EXPERIENCE AND YOUTH

"ink that is very individual. I really like the diversity in our team. We have very experienced players, like our captain Nico Otamendi, who has been in soccer for a long time, and we have young players in the team, just starting their careers. Our center-back duo, composed of Nico Otamendi and António Silva, is the reflection of our team: a youngster from our Academy and a player who was in Manchester City, who represents the Argentinean national team, and who has already won a lot. Of course a young player needs more guidance and tactical advice, and an experienced player just needs specific instructions. But as I said, it's exciting, and it's very challenging for me."

NEW IDEAS

"I think that when you arrive at a new club, it's natural to want to get involved with the club, with the strengths of the team, and with the culture of the club. Of course, you have to consider the background, the expectations we have for the style of play we want to implement later on, and try to find the best balance so that the players feel comfortable with the mode of play, and so that the style fits with the team's strengths. I think that's the biggest challenge. There's no point in trying to implement something just because it's worked elsewhere. We have to be open to new ideas, and to get inspiration from our players, from our club, and try to make it a collaborative effort, to get to the best soccer possible. Of course, the basis is always my vision of football, but I always try to get involved in new things. Benfica identifies with offensive soccer, and that is what we want to show on the pitch." 

INSPIRATION

"I think my players are already inspired. And I believe that if they feel that they are functioning as a team if they feel that the usual things they do on the pitch are going the best way, they know that they will be excelling on an individual level as well. The players know that all segments of the team can produce an enormous amount of energy by working together and that they can gain control, dominance, and superiority on the pitch. This should be the inspiration."