Vítor Pereira takes a jab at the Premier League: “In England, we don’t change match dates; here, there is still flexibility”
Coach Vítor Pereira did not hold back and delivered a fierce implicit criticism of the rigid schedule of the Premier League, following FC Porto’s 1-1 draw against Nottingham Forest in the first leg of the UEFA Europa League quarter-finals. In exclusive statements to Sport TV, the Portuguese coach highlighted the stark difference between the flexibility of Portuguese football and the inflexibility of English football, where there is no room to change match dates, even in complicated situations.
“We talked about the schedule, I would really like to be safe in the Premier League, today’s game would probably be completely different,” said Pereira, emphasizing the pressure that the proximity of commitments places on his team. “I have to think that in two and a half days, not three days but two and a half, we have the Aston Villa. In England, we don’t change the matches, there’s no possibility of moving it to Monday. Here there is still a bit of flexibility; we can change it to Monday, but we cannot. I have to think that in less than 72 hours we have to play against Aston Villa, at a time when the team is fighting to stay in the Premier League. The substitutions were made with the Villa in mind, it has to be.”
The analysis of the draw at the Dragão reveals a pragmatic Vítor Pereira, satisfied with the point earned, despite the evident limitations of the opponent, who is engaged in a fierce battle for survival in the English top flight. “I leave satisfied. The FC Porto was stronger, I made nine changes from the last game to this one. We were somewhat fortunate to concede only one goal, but we scored two. It would have been nice if we had won 2-1. We got a good result, the tie is open, we are at halftime. Let’s see how it goes against Villa and how we can play with FC Porto at home. If we were in a secure situation in the Premier League, the game would be different.”
The coach did not shy away from the controversial topic of the match: the disallowed goal for Igor Jesus. When questioned, he expressed clear doubts and a veiled criticism of the refereeing decision. “I have many doubts, I’m without my glasses and I see poorly. I didn’t see any handball. I have many doubts that it would have been decided the same way if it were the other way around.”
On the tactical front, Vítor Pereira revealed that he prepared an adapted strategy, almost like a game of chess, to respond to the difficulties posed by the Nottingham Forest. “We prepared two structures because when we don’t have a dog, we have to hunt with a cat; we need to find a structure to keep us safe. That’s why we decided together to face FC Porto this way.”
The return to the Dragão brought excitement and nostalgia to the Portuguese coach. “Many emotions, it’s a club that I respect a lot, I have a lot of gratitude. My career was boosted here, the titles, a lot of suffering. I really liked the gesture from the president, hearing the fans applaud, it was beautiful.”
The clash between FC Porto and Nottingham Forest is far from decided, but the determined stance of the Portuguese coach makes it clear that, despite the difficulties, the team is ready to fight until the end. The tight schedule and the pressure of the Premier League weigh heavily, but Vítor Pereira seems determined to make the most of the flexibility that Portuguese football still offers. The duel with Aston Villa, in less than 72 hours, promises to be a tough test for Vítor Pereira’s team.
This article first appeared on Apito Final.
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