“We expect a quick reaction”

Otamendi was the team's spokesman at the end of Moreirense-Benfica (1-1), from matchday 4 of the Liga Betclic, which took place on Friday, August 30, at the Estádio Comendador Joaquim de Almeida Freitas.

In the flash interview with Sport TV at the end of the match, the captain assessed the game. “The truth is that in the first half we weren't good, we weren't precise. It's no excuse, but obviously the pitch doesn't favor us. But it's the same for everyone,” he said.

The No. 30 recalled that in the second half the Reds tried “harder” to get a goal than Moreirense, but they weren't happy. “That's football, we have to move on, it's a long championship, we can't complain,” he emphasized.

Still “at the start of the season”, aware that the Reds “have to improve”, and certain that this will be a “difficult” season, Otamendi said that the eagles can't “stick to the past”, to this draw: “We tried, we tried, but unfortunately the ball didn't find the net. We have to move on, there's nothing more we can do."

The Benfica fans, who “supported us the whole time”, deserved a special mention from the captain. “The fans are demanding, they're the ones who pay to see us. Unfortunately, we weren't able to give them a win today [Friday, August 30]. We're sad because it was a negative result for us. We wanted to win, we have a lot to improve on,” he said.

The Championship will now stop for national team commitments, and Otamendi is already looking ahead to Benfica's return to the competition: “We hope that after the international break we'll have a quick reaction and can continue on our way.”