The statements of Sergio Conceicao, coach of Porto club, after the defeat against Inter Milan (0-1), in the first leg of the round of 16 of the Champions League.
“It was a very competitive match, with two teams at the level of the Champions League round of 16. The players executed the plan strategically and were focused and focused, except for one situation or another that we corrected in the first half. We knew Inter’s fragile points and tried to take advantage of them, but we could have been more aggressive in attack and shooting. This situation in the second half was a mirror of that. Inter, when they had to be aggressive and put the ball in, they were aggressive, and that makes the difference. I don’t want to justify myself with arbitration, Ottavio definitely deserved to see the second yellow card, but on the other hand Lautaro also deserved to have seen the yellow and wouldn’t play in Dragão, but that has nothing to do with the result. Obviously I’m sad because I lost the game and because of everything we did, with a strong team and more chances than Inter. Effectiveness determined what the outcome was. We have to work harder at the moment of completion, it also happened in the championship and in other national competitions. We can’t look for players of this quality, we have to work with the players we have and I’m very satisfied with them. In the second leg, the moment of the teams will be different, it is necessary to see that Ottavio, Gallino, Mateus and Evanelson come from pit stops and do not have a perfect competitive rhythm for matches of this intensity. It wasn’t easy and they gave a great response. I have a bunch of guys on the way, well above average and I mean it or I won’t say it. Oftentimes, with organization and strategy, quality trumps,” he told Eleven Microphones.
Sérgio Conceição also spoke to TVI/CNN Portugal. ′′ Today if we leave here with a draw, I think it was short. It’s bitter at the mouth, but we’re at half-time in a tie and we have another 90 minutes to play in Dragão,” he said, later referring to Otávio’s dismissal. “What saddens me is that there was one situation or another in which Inter players could be given a yellow card, namely Lautaro, who would not play for Dragão either, and that did not happen,” he stressed, unwilling to clarify whether there was a double standard. “I don’t want to go there, it was an excellent match and I’m not going to repeat myself here for them to butcher me in Portugal and say I apologize for the refereeing, I don’t want to,” he shot.
