Courtesy: UEFA.com


Benedito assesses Sporting chance

Sporting Clube de Portugal's stalwart goalkeeper João Benedito speaks to UEFA.com about their route to the finals, their opponents' strength and the joy of working with Orlando Duarte.

Tuesday 26 April 2011

by Hugo Pietra from Lisbon

Last year SL Benfica claimed the UEFA Futsal Cup in Lisbon – now Sporting Clube de Portugal hope to wrest the trophy from their city rivals across Europe in Almaty.

Sporting, in the last four for the first time since hosting the inaugural 2001/02 eight-team finals, face hosts Kairat Almaty in Friday's semis. Having knocked out Spain's ElPozo Murcia FS 5-3 in a home elite round thriller, goalkeeper João Benedito told UEFA.com that confidence is high.

UEFA.com: Tell us about qualifying – what were emotions like after that dramatic win against Murcia in the elite round?
João Benedito: Qualification started in Slovakia where we were not expecting to face teams that strong. Nevertheless we qualified with some close results. Then in Lisbon it was a weekend packed with strong emotions as we started with a draw. We thought at that time that maybe we won't make it but we responded very well against [City'US] Târgu Mureþ. Against Murcia we hit a very high level, supported by tireless fans. All those conditions made the qualification possible.


UEFA.com: What was your most memorable moment in qualifying?
Benedito: The most memorable moment was qualification itself. We had some difficulties. Sometimes when things go wrong the players tend to go down a little bit. The fifth goal against Murcia was a decisive moment. With the score at 5-3 we had the feeling that the qualification will not run away from us.


UEFA.com: There are two Portuguese teams in the finals and for the first time no Spanish or Russian sides. What does this say about the strength of Portuguese futsal?
Benedito: It says very much about the way we work in Portugal bearing in mind the quality of the players. The fact there are no Spanish or Russian teams? Well regarding the Spanish we eliminated Murcia. Portugal has been showing its strength with the [UEFA Futsal EURO 2010 runner-up] national team as well as at club level. We have a good transfer policy and I think the game has a bright future.


UEFA.com: Is the balance of power shifting?
Benedito: I think that there's a constant narrowly the gap between all the countries. New methods are being followed by each country. In the beginning Spain was the supreme country in terms of futsal because they started first. They started futsal professionally before everybody else so they were the first to collect the benefits. Currently all the countries are closer. Results are more even nowadays as every team can beat each other.


UEFA.com: What are Kairat Almaty's strengths?
Benedito: They will be at home and they have passionate supporters. That can be decisive for a team who play at home in a competition like this, inside an arena. They have very experienced players. They are used to this level.


UEFA.com: How much does having your rivals Benfica in the finals add to the occasion and drama?
Benedito: As a Portuguese I am very proud of two Portuguese clubs being present. As a player and Sporting captain they are another opponent like everybody else. I am sure they will make our life difficult.


UEFA.com: What are Benfica's strengths?
Benedito: Benfica are the reigning European champions. Last season they had the experience of playing in the finals and won it. They have had more or less the same team for many years as the players know perfectly well how to play together. This season they added some players to key positions. As they're the holders, an experienced team and have brought in quality players, they are one of the candidates to win the title again.


UEFA.com: And ASD Città di Montesilvano C/5?
Benedito: It was surprising for me seeing them reach the finals because they had a very difficult group with an Azerbaijani and a Russian team and the group matches were held in Ekaterinburg. They are strong physically as they put all their effort into the game. They have no problems in putting their defensive line very deep waiting to 'kill' the game with a counterattack. They have some experienced players from the Italian national team. I am sure they will be hard opponents as they proved all their strengths in the elite round.


UEFA.com: Tell us what it is like working with coach Orlando Duarte – a man you know well...
Benedito: I have known Orlando Duarte for almost 18 years. I knew him first at Sporting, then I continued working with him in the national team and he has returned to Sporting now. It was a complete joy for me seeing him returning to the club. He is very methodical and well organised – a natural leader. All the players who want to improve their skills feel they are fortunate to work with such a coach.




Courtesy: UEFA.com


Bastos, Robinho and Jádson on futsal

With the UEFA Futsal Cup starting in Almaty on Friday, Brazilians Michel Bastos, Robinho and Jádson explain how playing the game as youngsters helped their careers thrive.

Tuesday 26 April 2011

The UEFA Futsal Cup kicks off on Friday in Kazakhstan with the continent's top four clubs competing for the crown, and all the skills and tricks the small-sided game is noted for will be on display.

Brazil are the reigning world futsal champions, and the discipline has also been credited with developing the touch that has made them supreme in football as well. UEFA.com spoke to three stars of the 11-a-side game to discover just how futsal helped them thrive.

Michel Bastos (Olympique Lyonnais)
It's a technical game, you play short passes, it's quick, and Brazilians love that. You can see some nice moves, nice plays, and that is why Brazilians love it. We have a player, Falcão, who can do anything with the ball. That is what Brazilians love, and that is why this sport is popular back home.

I played as a kid, at school. In my time, at school you could chose a sport, and in each school there was a futsal pitch. I started with my school and then played for a club in my city. I was seven or eight. When I am back home on holidays, we play with friends and often it is futsal we play.

Robinho (AC Milan)
Ronaldo, the Phenomenon, started his career in futsal, Ronaldinho ... myself, too! And now we have some youngsters, like Neymar, who also played. The majority of the players who dribble like that, who have that ability to play quickly, come from futsal.

Jádson (FC Shakhtar Donetsk)
It is a very fast game ... you have to think quickly. And I took something of that from futsal, the ability to think quickly. I think that's the characteristic I took from futsal, and it is working on the pitch.

Follow the UEFA Futsal Cup direct from Kazakhstan with UEFA.com's reporting team, beginning with Friday's semi-finals as Sporting Clube de Portugal play hosts Kairat Almaty and holders SL Benfica take on Italy's ASD Città di Montesilvano C/5.




Courtesy: UEFA.com (HAVE A LOOK AT THE VIDEO)


Candelas previews Futsal Cup finals

Jesús Candelas won two UEFA Futsal Cups with Interviú Madrid and with this year's finals kicking off on Friday he looks ahead to the action in Almaty, tipping SL Benfica to do well again.

Wednesday 27 April 2011

The UEFA Futsal Cup finals kick off on Friday in Almaty and unusually no Spanish side will be involved. However, a more than interested spectator will be Jesús Candelas, who coached Interviú Madrid to two of their three titles and was also a runner-up behind SL Benfica in Lisbon a year ago.

Benfica will face Italy's ASD Città di Montesilvano C/5 in the semi-finals, while Sporting Clube de Portugal are up against the host team, Kairat Almaty. Watch our exclusive video as Candelas gives his thoughts on why Kairat could end their run of three semi-final defeats, his respect for their coach João Carlos Barbosa, the development of Italian and Portuguese futsal and why – even without the departed Ricardinho – Benfica are his tip for the title.




Courtesy: UEFA.com


Forte: Montesilvano run is pride of Italy

Wednesday 27 April 2011

ASD Città di Montesilvano C/5 captain Marcio Forte is proud Italy have a team in the finals again and says if they can repeat their elite round form they could upset the favourites in Almaty.

by Francesco Corda

ASD Città di Montesilvano C/5's debut UEFA Futsal Cup campaign has taken them all the way to the finals, and as they prepare to face holders SL Benfica in the last four in Almaty on Friday, captain Marcio Forte is delighted that Italy has sent a side to the showpiece for the second year running, 12 months after Luparense C/5 finished fourth. Montesilvano knocked out former winners MFK Sinara Ekaterinburg and 2010 bronze-medallists Araz Naxçivan in the elite round in Russia and Forte told UEFA.com that they are proud to be in Kazakhstan.


UEFA.com: You have played in the Italian championship final, UEFA Futsal EURO and the FIFA Futsal World Cup. Where would you rank these finals?
Marcio Forte: Since many players in our team were having their first important experience at international level, reaching the finals can be compared to reaching the European Championship final or the World Cup semi-finals, in my opinion. At club level it is the most important competition in the world and we are full of pride to be among the four strongest teams in Europe.

UEFA.com: There will be no Russian or Spanish teams for the first time. Has the European futsal hierarchy changed or is just a one-off?
Forte: Last year, if my memory is good, Luparense eliminated ElPozo Murcia in the elite round... In my opinion it stresses that the work done by many countries is producing good results. Today futsal is not only about Spain or Russia; last year a team from Azerbaijan reached the finals, this year one from Kazakhstan qualified, while Portugal – who played in the final of the last European Championship – will have two teams representing the country. This is a signal that futsal is not limited to one or two schools any more, it is more globalised. There is strong competition, many teams are improving and often underestimating opponents can cost you games.


UEFA.com: What does it mean for Italian futsal to have a team in the finals again?
Forte: I think this is a very important result for Italian futsal. It's a sign that Italian futsal is among the strongest in Europe, so Italian teams must continue to develop their academies in order to produce more and more young talents.


UEFA.com: How do you rate the teams in the finals?
Forte: Benfica are the favourites to win the tournament. They won last year and have gained confidence since then. Even though they lost Ricardinho they brought in other strong players and they are the team to beat. Sporting are led by the former Portugal coach [Orlando Duarte], he brought in players he trusts and managed to beat one of the biggest favourites, ElPozo Murcia. In the Portuguese championship they are on a par with Benfica therefore they cannot be considered underdogs. Kairat have a core of Brazilian players, I know many of them very well. They struggled a little in qualifying but since then they have reinforced their squad. They aim to reach the final and are playing in front of their fans, as well as having players who have already won the trophy.


UEFA.com: In your opinion, how far can Montesilvano go in Kazakhstan?
Forte: Montesilvano can repeat the level of the performances in Russia: we will go into games without fear, trying to play our own game and aiming to benefit from the possible nerves of our rivals. We have qualified, we are a young team going to the finals to do our best. We must for sure take one step at the time, because it will be very hard but if we repeat the performances in Ekaterinburg in the elite round, we will go far in the tournament. We will do our utmost in order to honor the Montesilvano shirt and the name of Italy.


UEFA.com: In Italy, Montesilvano have a defensive reputation, is this fair?
Forte: We work very hard on defence and undoubtedly this is our main strength. However in the last two years we have been runners-up and Italian champions; these are not goals that you can achieve by only being good at defending. We know we can do well also in attack as we have a lot of quality. Undoubtedly the defence has brought us to this level, but up front we have great champions who can always make the difference.


UEFA.com: Who should we watch out for in the finals from Montesilvano?
Forte: I would pick Fabricio Calderolli. He underwent knee surgery and is now back. When we went to Russia, he told me: "Marcio, let me play in these finals." He deserves to be with us to play this great tournament; he helped us to win in the past when he was one of the best players in the Italian championship. He deserved it - we dedicated qualification to him. The finals stars? You will forgive me, but I hope Adriano Foglia and Cristian Borruto will be the stars of the tournament. I hope they are in peak form; they are two champions and they can make the difference any time.


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