Just one point away from securing qualification for the Champions League round of 16, Benfica coach Roger Schmidt confirmed that these are scores that will not enter the field against Juventus.
“We don’t think about mathematics. Juventus need two victories, we need a point. But we have to play well and everyone knows that we are not playing for a draw. We have to focus in order to enter the field and win. We must believe in ourselves, be brave, And we benefit from playing at home and playing in the Champions League,” the German said in a preview of Tuesday’s match (8 pm), at Estádio da Luz.
The coach also responded cautiously to questions regarding the bad moment for the team led by Maximo Allegri, currently ranked 9th in the Italian league: “It is not wise to think this way and not look at Juventus as a great team. They have a very experienced coach and a very strong team and we have to be ready for that. We must. To be calm and at our best to pass. It would be a mistake to underestimate our situation.”
He responded in the same vein when asked about the various forced absences in the Italian team: “It is not good for any team when players are absent, but in professional football we are used to it and we have to find solutions. Juventus has a good team and we just have to think about what we can do during 90 minutes.”
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