Sergio Conceicao first touched on his expectations for Porto’s clash with Inter.
“It will be a balanced match, very difficult, against a team full of good players. We know our opponent but above all we know what we are capable of doing. We want to be intense, good at pressing, aggressive and, above all, intelligent.”
He commented on any differences from the first leg, where the Nerazzurri secured a 1-0 win.
“The matches may be similar, but they will never be the same. It will also depend on the players who will play for Inter, for example I think there are doubts about whether Skriniar will be there or not.
“I don’t know if Dumfries will play, if Gosens will be there…. Then up front they have Dzeko, Lukaku and Lautaro, only two of these will play. Then it will depend on the strategy we adopt.”
The Portuguese coach touched on Porto’s preparations for the decisive Champions League match.
“We prepared for it in accordance with what are our characteristics as a team. In these top-level matches we have to play the way we know, the way we feel most comfortable. If we adapt too much to our opponent, things might not go as well as we want.
“We are halfway through the game. We have 90 minutes to try to overturn the result but to do that we will have to be smart throughout the match. It will be important not to go on the attack, we will need to be patient and with the right aggressiveness.”
Conceicao was asked if his coaching style is suitable for the Champions League.
“I don’t think about that. My growth has to do with the challenges we have every day, with the quality of the players, with the changes in the squad year after year. I try not to look at what I like but to study a system that can extract the maximum potential from the players.
“This is what makes a coach grow. If you ask me which football I like best I’d answer German football, it doesn’t make me sleepy. Then I have a great passion for Italy, that’s where I lived the best moments of my career as a player and that’s why I have a strong bond with Italy.”
Finally, Conceicao was asked if Inter’s inconsistent results in the league would affect them in Europe.
“I’m not the Inter coach, but all defeats are tough for a club used to winning like Inter. However, Champions League matches are different, on a mental level the problems from the league defeat will not come into play tomorrow.”