João Neves: "We're going to do our best in every game"

PREVIEW

With matchday 1 of the Champions League Group D just around the corner, with the match against Salzburg scheduled for Wednesday, September 20, at 8 pm, at Estádio da Luz, João Neves was the spokesman of a very "calm and confident" group of players. 

Just over a year ago, some of the players who could now be on the pitch faced each other in a UEFA Youth League final. Are there reasons to say that these stages were important and that now they can live the dream?

Yes, it's always good to see players from the academy reach the big competitions. It's going to be a very difficult game. They're a very young team, very intense, with a lot of quality, but we're not the opposite either. We're going to do our best.

How is the group?

The group is doing very well. We talk, of course, in the dressing room. We keep in touch, but the team is very confident, even those who might be making their debut, or those who don't have much experience in the competition.

You've already had the chance to win the UEFA Youth League with Benfica. Is it also a dream to win the Champions League for the club?

Yes, but to win this competition, we have to think game by game. Tomorrow [Wednesday] is the first, we're going to do our best in every game we play. That's Benfica's goal, to do our best in every game so that we can go further in the competition.

Has the competitiveness in midfield been good for your development?

The competitiveness is very good. We're four midfielders with a lot of quality. The way I see it, that's how you grow and learn. I really like them as people and as players. It's with great players that I'll develop more and more.