Eliminated by Benfica in the third qualifying round of the Champions League, Spartak Moscow, Russian runner-up trained by Rui Vitória since the beginning of the season, thus fell to the Europa League. And he has the honor of inaugurating the group stage today, welcoming Polish champions Legia Warsaw.
This afternoon’s game, however, was in the background at the launch press conference, with Russian journalists systematically questioning the Portuguese coach about an alleged bad physical condition of the team, which would justify the poor start of the championship (10 points in seven games ) and the elimination in Champions.
“Football is not just physical or tactical or technical. Playing football is about making good decisions, you can’t just analyze the physical part. But our answer in the last game [vitória 3-1 em casa sobre o Khimki] it was good. Why just the physical part?”, argued Rui Vitória, who used a curious image to respond to the fact that he does little running work, without the ball: “Have you ever seen a pianist running around the piano to train? So why do players have to run and run around the pitch?»
The subject, however, did not stop there, with another journalist recalling statements by a former Spartak player, who said that athletes from the current squad said they had the easiest pre-season they can remember. «If it was the easiest, it was because they liked it. I have 11 titles, I was champion three times, in two countries, and I reached the quarter-finals of the Champions League. I have been at the highest level for ten years. Who is right?”, replied Rui Vitória, who will not like Spartak’s new sporting director – according to some press, the club is trying to wear him down to take him out.
Today, in any case, Vitória can turn the page. It hosts the Legia of Yuri Ribeiro, André Martins, Josué and Rafael Lopes, in a group that also includes Naples and Leicester, the main candidates to pass to the next stage – all the other games in this first round of the Europa League take place tomorrow. «We are prepared and we will give everything to win. There are four strong teams and we are going to play every game with great ambition, as if it were a final each. These are different matches from the championship, the players’ emotion is different, the focus as well. Maintaining concentration for 90 minutes is very important», said Rui Vitória.
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