The ink was barely dry on the score sheet after Sp. Braga’s dominant win over Lincoln in the Europa League. That big victory put them just one small step away from the group stage. But for coach Carlos Vicens, the focus quickly shifted. His team must now prepare to host AVS SAD in the third match of the Liga Betclic tomorrow night at 8:30 PM. He delivered some immediate news: star player Ricardo Horta will miss the game. Vicens also warned that their upcoming opponent “will be more aggressive than one might think.”
The team’s expectations are clear. Vicens wants his players mentally ready. AVS SAD has suffered two losses, but the coach stressed that their statistics show they were very close to their rivals in those games. Braga must be prepared for anything the match throws their way. Vicens hopes for a focused team, ready to adapt and give the fans a reason to celebrate.
Ricardo Horta’s Absence
Speaking of Ricardo Horta, the coach called his injury “bad luck.” It happened in the last game. He confirmed the injury is not as serious as they first feared. However, Horta is simply not fit enough to play in tomorrow’s match.
Navigating a Demanding Schedule
Managing the squad through a packed calendar has been a hot topic. Vicens admitted the team has discussed it often. He noted that they knew August would be “hellish.” The entire pre-season was designed to get them in the best possible shape for this period. He said the team is still growing and developing. But even while building, they still need to win games. “We cannot use the excuse of playing every three days,” Vicens stated firmly, “because we already knew that would happen.”
Maintaining a Winning Mindset
When asked if he had stressed the importance of three wins to the group, Vicens playfully laughed, asking, “34 wins?” He was likely referring to the full season’s length. He explained the team prepared for the game today. Yesterday, they arrived late from their European trip, so players rested. The next day was spent with indoor training to check who was feeling better or worse. Today, they put a strategic plan in place. The idea is to play well. He stressed they must perform at their very best to win. It is quite a challenge, he admitted, to keep winning after playing so many games already.
No Room for Complacency
Does Vicens worry about the team relaxing too much? “Not relaxation,” he quickly clarified. He explained that their daily routine is always demanding. But the sheer number of games naturally leads to fatigue and wear. Yet, as he repeated, they will never use the schedule as an excuse. They knew exactly how busy August would be. The goal, he stated, is to play a good game at every level, making sure they are effective throughout the entire match.
Gharbi’s Path Forward
The coach had recently praised Gharbi but then left him out of the squad. He doesn’t think this will cause a drop in the young player’s confidence. Vicens sees Gharbi as a player with incredible personality and huge potential. He called him a strong young man who faces setbacks well and knows how to handle them. The coach acknowledged that everyone wants to play. He wished he could put all his players on the field, but he has to make tough decisions. He confirmed Gharbi “is working well.”
Anticipating the Opponent
What kind of AVS SAD team does Vicens expect to face? He sees a team eager to get their first victory. They will hope things go better than in their previous two matches. They have had another week to train and prepare. Vicens believes they will be more aggressive than one might initially think. He added that they are not a very defensive team at all. Instead, they are well-organized and have very clear ideas about how they want to play.