Roger Schmidt: "We have to show the fans that they can count on the team"

PREVIEW

In a press conference, Roger Schmidt previewed the match against Casa Pia, on Saturday, October 28, on matchday 9 of the Liga Betclic. 

Benfica returns to the Estádio da Luz to face Casa Pia, one of the teams with the fewest goals conceded in the league. Which opponent do you expect to find?

First, we're happy to be playing again after being very disappointed with Tuesday's game. Casa Pia has the same coach as last season, they're a well-organized team, very disciplined, and with a lot of players behind the ball. It's not easy to score goals against this team, but last season, especially at home, we were very good and that's our goal for tomorrow [Saturday]. We want to play like Benfica again, because we didn't manage to do that on Tuesday [against Real Sociedad]. It's time to react on the pitch and play with intensity, constant movement, creativity and proximity at all stages of the game. When we don't have the ball, we also have to show quality, to win balls back and surprise our opponents when they're not 100 percent organized. That's how we normally play and that will be the key to tomorrow's game [Saturday].

This is perhaps your worst moment at Benfica. What do you need to turn things around?

It's the worst moment in the Champions League, I wouldn't say in the League. After losing the first game, we won seven games in a row. but we've deserved every win. In the League, we're on the right track. In the Champions League, we can't be happy. After three games, it's unbelievable not to have any points or goals. The most disappointing thing on Tuesday [the game with Real Sociedad] was our mentality, the lack of unity on the pitch, and also the spirit at the start. That's one of my main challenges: preparing the team in the best way for the games and giving them the right advice and recommendations. When we play the way we did, I ask myself what we could have done better before the game. We talked about it, I reminded them how well we can play, but also what it takes to play at a high level. Each player's responsibility at every moment of the game has to be different. We have to do things together, with and without the ball. That was the key to our fantastic season last year and to many good games this season. This is the situation. We know what we have to do and tomorrow [Saturday] we'll show a different image.

Is the game against Casa Pia the most important of this season?

At every press conference we have this question, which in the end means that the next game is always the most important. After losing an important match where we didn't perform at our normal level, the next game is very important to change the mood and have a different atmosphere. That's what we have to do tomorrow [Saturday] at our stadium.

Four defeats this season and the fans have already shown some dissatisfaction. Have these results caused doubts in the players or in yourself?

Our ambition is to play top-level soccer and win. And that's what the fans expect of us. Their support has been fantastic, and the atmosphere is always good, but if they're not happy with the way we played, they can show it. We're not happy with the way we played either, and we're disappointed with the display, just like them. Tomorrow [Saturday], the situation is different, and our aim is to show the fans from the first second that we want to do things differently. I'm 100 percent sure that the fans will be on our side, as always, and we have to show them that they can count on the players, who always give their all to win games. That's what the fans want to see, and that's why I understand their reaction.