Courtesy: UEFA.com


Vampeta's sights on Luparense glory

Wednesday 21 April 2010

Vampeta, the top scorer in this season's UEFA Futsal Cup, told UEFA.com that reaching the finals is an honour for Luparense C/5 but the Italian side are going to Lisbon "to beat everybody".

by Francesco Corda from Rome

Luparense C/5 captain Vampeta is looking forward to this week's UEFA Futsal Cup finals but told UEFA.com: "There's pride in having achieved this goal, but we want to win – we'll go to Lisbon to beat everybody, to win the cup."

After three straight Italian titles, Luparense made their European breakthrough in November with a dramatic 5-4 elite round defeat of Spanish champions ElPozo Mucia FS. Their reward comes on Friday when they face hosts SL Benfica in the semi-finals at Lisbon's Pavilhão Atlântico. Vampeta, the leading scorer in this season's competition with ten goals including a competition record eight in the 10-0 main round victory against Hungary's MVFC Berettyóújfalu, cannot wait.

"To play in these finals is an honour for us and the entire Italian futsal movement," Vampeta said. "The road to get here was long: my team-mates and I overcame demanding obstacles. Now we must prove we deserve to be here, keeping an eye on the highest prize."

Twice before Luparense had been pipped in the elite round, and on their debut two seasons ago they ended unbeaten but were made to pay for a draw with Benfica. "We were 2-0 up but they are a good, experienced side and they managed to earn a 2-2 draw," Vampeta said. "This time around it will be a completely different story."

Vampeta, Luparense's most experienced player at the age of 25, does concede that Benfica are "expected" to win with home advantage, but says their biggest boon is the presence of Ricardinho, back after the injury that ruled him out of January's UEFA European Futsal Championship. "He is their key player, he has skill and class, but it's the team that makes the difference. Ricardinho can't win games on his own."

Off the pitch there have been changes at Luparense this season. Jesús Velasco, the most successful coach in Italian club futsal, left in the summer to be replaced by Federico Montaldo Vidal, who led them past the elite round only to exit in January in favour of a third Spaniard, Sito Rivera. "Sure, we have changed the way we play," Vampeta. "In the past we were more aggressive while now our game is more tactical. Vidal did well with Luparense and contributed to us getting here, but now we must follow Rivera."




Courtesy: UEFA.com


Benfica fans fuel André Lima's belief

Wednesday 21 April 2010

André Lima lost the 2004 UEFA Futsal Cup final as an SL Benfica player; six years on as coach he aims to go one better with the support of the home fans in Lisbon, as he told UEFA.com.

by Hugo Pietra from Lisbon

Six years ago André Lima was on the SL Benfica side that lost the old two-legged UEFA Futsal Cup final to Interviú Madrid. Now he is the Benfica coach and from Friday they host the new-style four-team finals at Lisbon's Pavilhão Atlântico, taking on Luparense C/5 in the last four with the chance to set up a rematch with Interviú. André Lima does not consider his side favourites but thinks Benfica's fans could certainly make the difference.

UEFA.com: Benfica will face Luparense in the semi-finals. What do you know about them?

André Lima: We know Luparense very well. They are a good team and I foresee an interesting match as I believe they will get as much information as they can on our team.


UEFA.com: Do you think home advantage makes Benfica favourites?

André Lima: We are a confident team and we are aware of our abilities. However, I do not consider us as the favourites to win this competition though we know that playing at home is important to us. The support of our fans – who are always behind us – could make the difference at certain moments. However I think Interviú remain favourites for logical reasons.


UEFA.com: What are Interviú's greatest strengths?

André Lima: We cannot forget that they are European champions and they will aim to defend the title. Their greatest weapon is the fact that they are used to playing in these competitions, not to mention the quality of their players.


UEFA.com: What does Benfica need in order to win this competition?

André Lima: We have quality and we know that our opponents respect us but honestly we have been very unlucky in competition finals recently. At times, the ball has hit our post and gone in while it has hit our opponents' goal and bounced out.


UEFA.com: You played in a final as a player. Do you dream of another appearance in the decider as a coach?

André Lima: I believe that for all I've achieved as a player at this great club, I will win as coach. To win the UEFA Futsal Cup is a legitimate ambition for Benfica – the players, the technical team and the directors who ensure the right conditions to win titles for the club.




Courtesy: UEFA.com


Amado inspired by European prize

Thursday 22 April 2010

Goalkeeper Luis Amado has already won three UEFA Futsal Cups with Interviú Madrid and he believes his club can put some mixed domestic form behind them to claim a fourth in Lisbon.

by Lucho Mera Palermo from Madrid

Although Interviú Madrid goalkeeper Luis Amado admits that the Spanish side are not enjoying their finest run of form at present, the experienced custodian is confident they can successfully defend their UEFA Futsal Cup title in Lisbon this week.

Amado, along with club-mates Schumacher and Daniel, is one of only three players to have won three UEFA Futsal Cups, having triumphed with Interviú in 2004, 2006 and last year in Ekaterinburg.

This term Interviú are trailing ElPozo Murcia FS in the league, but the 34-year-old custodian, fresh from helping Spain retain the Futsal EURO title in January, is confident they can find their usual good form on the continental stage.

"Looking at what's happened to us this term we can see that things haven't gone our way," the 33-year-old told UEFA.com. "We've missed out on titles therefore our main objective now is to win the UEFA Futsal Cup.

"It's absolutely fundamental that we do so above all for the good of the team and also for our sponsors. In the Super Cup, the Spanish Cup and in other tournaments we haven't been playing at the level we normally play at so we view this weekend's competition as paramount."

To achieve victory Interviú must first overcome Araz in a last four encounter that Amado says is difficult to read. "We don't know them well," he said. "Some may say they are the most manageable of the four teams remaining but I can assure you there are no easy rivals here. They have a very powerful pivot and we'll also need to watch out for their four or five Brazilian players who have a lot of quality."

As usual the Green Machine begin the finals as favourites, but although Amado is wary of that tag he is not intimidated. "You could say there are plusses and minuses to being favourites," he explained. "It might create an atmosphere of over-confidence but on the other hand it means you gain more respect from the teams you are facing.

"Being the favourites means you are there because you have won things in the past; that you are an important side. We're the reigning champions and it's up to us now to go out and demonstrate why that is. Having said that we've passed through slumps in form before so we also know what that feels like."

Asked who he sees is the biggest threat to taking Interviú's title, Amado said: "Benfica are going into this full of passion as they have that extra motivation of playing in their home city. They are a great team; we've played them many times in the past. We also mustn't forget Luparense who knocked out ElPozo Murcia."



Courtesy: UEFA.com


Araz take aim at Interviú

Thursday 22 April 2010

Alecio believes Araz Naxçivan have the beating of UEFA Futsal Cup holders Interviú Madrid, having reminded his players that "the favourites don't always win" ahead of Friday's semi-final.

by Paul Bryan from Pavilhão Atlântico

With his team preparing a UEFA Futsal Cup semi-final against defending champions Interviú Madrid, Araz Naxçivan coach Alecio believes he has spotted chinks in the Green Machine's armour which he hopes his side can exploit.

The Azerbaijani Premier League leaders have been the dominant force on their domestic front for some time now yet Alesio told UEFA.com he is expecting a different class of opponent when his charges file out against Spanish giants Interviú at the Pavilhão Atlântico. "Of course it will be a really tough game but we've got a plan in place in order to surprise those who think the outcome will be a foregone conclusion," he said. "Having said that, we expect our opponents to set the pace and that will create difficulties for us."

Alecio previously coached Kairat Almaty to this stage and the 41-year-old is keen to produce as big a surprise in Lisbon this week as he did when leading Azerbaijan to the semi-finals of January's UEFA European Futsal Championship in Hungary, with the bulk of Araz's squad. "People might think that we are just happy to be here but I don't feel that," he explained. "We're going up against the best teams at this tournament; against the European champions – but you know what? The favourites don't always win and that's what I've been telling my players every day."

Although Interviú have been enduring indifferent form at home, they arrive in the Portuguese capital heavily tipped to lift their fourth UEFA Futsal Cup title, yet doing so requires the Spanish side to firstly see off the challenge of an Araz outfit confident of springing an upset. "We've been monitoring the games they've lost in their domestic championship and – OK, they will be here with a different mentality – but we've seen some things," Alecio said. "Now let's play and see what happens.

Meanwhile, Interviú coach Jesús Candelas, who led them to victory in 2004 and 2006 before returing as coach this season, cut a calm figure as he discussed this year's tournament alongside his coaching counterparts in Lisbon. Speaking to UEFA.com afterwards he conceded he was preparing to learn about Friday's opponents out on the playing surface. "You can have all the videos in the world about a certain rival; you can do intense scouting and find all the statistics you need, but until you actually play against a team you won't know what you're up against," he said.

Explaining that the atmosphere within his squad was "as it should be ahead of tournament of this stature," Candelas said the Spanish team's winning experience will play an important role in the semi-final. "We must keep our concentration as we are playing in a do-or-die situation which is what a play-off is, but our players realise they are creating history with this club so that shouldn't be a problem."



Courtesy: UEFA.com


Benfica welcome Luparense opener

Thursday 22 April 2010

SL Benfica's André Lima is glad to be meeting Luparense C/5 even though "I know we'll be taking on a strong side", whose coach Sito Rivera said "playing against the hosts is not ideal".

by Paul Bryan from Pavilhão Atlântico

With Luparense C/5 coach Sito Rivera sitting by his side, SL Benfica's André Lima boldly stated the Serie A1 team were the ideal opponents for O Glorioso in the UEFA Futsal Cup semi-finals.

The Italian and Portuguese sides are preparing to meet at the magnificent Pavilhão Atlántico in Lisbon on Friday and the hosts' trainer raised the tension ahead of the game by stating he was happy to have avoided the tournament's other semi-finalists, Araz Naxçivan and Interviú Madrid. "If you look at it, of the four teams here Araz are the underdogs so we'd have been under immense pressure to beat them," the former Portuguese international explained.

"Against Interviú we'd have had the psychological factor of knowing we've never beaten them in an eliminator, so before the draw my preference would have been to meet Luparense even though I know we'll be playing a strong side."

Lima is no stranger to the competition's final stage having reached it once before as a player with Benfica in 2004. Having returned the Eagles to Europe's elite, the coach now believes they are better prepared this time to go all the way. "The 2004 final was an important learning curve," said Lima of the two-legged showpiece loss to Interviú.

"Since then we've improved in so many aspects. Being here is something really important for us and we're keen to show our futsal and to test ourselves against the best from Spain, Italy and Azerbaijan," he continued before outlining Benfica's strengths. "We have a great spirit within the team and our desire here is to win."

Undaunted by the potential burden of being hosts, Lima assured the assembled press that the responsibility would bring out the best in his players. "It's crucial that we are playing in our city and in an arena that is important to the country as a whole," he said.

Sito Rivero, meanwhile, conceded that home advantage was something he envied and expects his opponents to be spurred on by a vociferous support. "Playing against the hosts is not ideal but all the sides here are strong," the Spanish-born coach said ahead of Luparense's first appearance at this stage. "Benfica are a team that didn't arrive here by chance but we have our own ambitions and we want to go as far as we possibly can.

"We are going to play to our strengths which you will see in the rhythm at which we play and in the individual quality at our disposal," he concluded.


Posted by Luca Ranocchiari --> luca.ranocchiari@futsalplanet.com