The players' reaction: “We made the game easy”

Tiago Gouveia and João Rego analyzed Benfica's 0-5 win over Tirsense in the first leg of the Portuguese Cup semi-final, which took place on Wednesday, April 9, at the Estádio Cidade de Barcelos.

Tiago Gouveia – - who came on in the 65th minute and hadn't played for the first team since the Benfica-Estrela da Amadora match on the matchday 3 of the Liga Betclic (August 24, 2024), in which he picked up an injury - and João Rego – - who made his first start and scored (26') for the first team - spoke to RTP and Sport TV with the awareness that the Eagles played “a good game”, but that the tie is still “not over”. 

The next match is against Arouca, in round 29 of the Liga Betclic, scheduled for Sunday, April 13, at 6:00 pm, at the Estádio da Luz (see tickets here).

TIAGO GOUVEIA

"One more game to go"

"It was a game in which we knew it was up to us to make the task easier. I think we managed to do that. Tirsense are a team that, even though they're fighting to stay in the Portuguese Championship, have quality players, players with FC Porto and Sporting backgrounds. They also have a strong crowd, as we saw, which pushes them on. The play-offs aren't over yet. There's still one more game to go, another 90 minutes, in which the team has to show quality and belief. Congratulations to Tirsense. They played a good game, we also played a great game, but it's not over yet. [Top of the league] It's like this... being top of the league is the best feeling you can have. Depending on ourselves is the best feeling you can have, and that's what we're going to focus on. There are still a lot of games to play, nothing has been decided. From today to tomorrow, you lose the lead, you gain the lead, so we have to be 100% focused on the next training session, and then get to the game and do our job. Because, since it's up to us, we get to every game, we give our all and, of course, the title will come to us."

JOÃO REGO

"We knew what we had to do"

"I think the team did very well, we approached that game like we approach all the others, Barcelona, Juventus... We worked together during the week, I think we knew what we had to do. We played a good game, we ended up making the game easy by putting our chances away, and we're already thinking about the next [match]. It's always special, it's the first goal, I've dreamed of this since I was a little boy. I've been working towards it for a long time, the opportunity came and I took it. I work hard every day. Both my teammates and I are here to make the manager's choices difficult, and whenever I get the chance, I try to take it. I'm just here to learn from great players, and I'm focused on the next game. [1st place in the Liga Betclic] Of course it's good! We've been doing well in the league this season, and we're just focused on the next game. It's game by game, and we're going to do everything we can to try and get the 3 points in the next game. [Support of the Benfiquistas] Our fans always demand the maximum from us. We work hard to live up to their expectations."