Sporting and Benfica face each other, this Saturday, in the final of the League Cup, being only the second time that the rivals from Lisbon meet in the decision of the trophy. In the other game, on March 21, 2009, at Estádio Algarve, full-back Pedro Silva was an unexpected protagonist in a controversial move, in which he was sent off in the 75th minute. BOLA agreed to remember the episode.
– Is that final of the 2008/2009 season still stuck in your throat?
– No doubt. It was a mistake that caused us to end up losing a trophy. A mistake that ended all the work you had to prepare for a trophy. It was an absurd mistake.
– Do they still talk to you in this episode, about your reaction to the referee’s decision?
– We were all very upset and even today, every time there is a League Cup final, in which Sporting will play, they send me messages. I know it was a mistake that could happen, but it’s sad that all the work we did in this final was spoiled like that.
– Did you really lose your finalist medal or did you end up keeping it?
– As you know, I threw the medal away and it was Paulinho, the wardrobe man, who took it. The next day, at training, she wanted to give it to me but I didn’t receive it. It wasn’t worth it because the champion medal was taken away from us.
– Expectations for this final between Benfica and Sporting, so many years later?
– I am always aware of what is happening in Portuguese football, because I worked in three clubs in Portugal and made great friends, some of whom are still active. In addition, I have a Sporting football school in Santa Catarina. A derby is always complicated, it’s difficult to have favoritism, it’s a big game, but I believe that Sporting is ahead of Benfica. He is better ranked and playing better football.
– Who will decide the final, individual quality or collective strength?
– Above all, I think you have to be concentrated, because any carelessness can disrupt the planning. Individuality counts for a lot, but the team that is more focused, with more will and determination, will win, even more so in a final. I hope Sporting is much better.
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