Conference LeagueAZ coach Pascal Jansen expects Gil Vicente FC to be strongly insistent on Thursday in the second game against the Portuguese for a place in the group stage of the Conference League. The first game ended in a 4-0 win for the Alkmaarders at home.
“They will do everything they can. If I had been their trainer, I would also have believed in a good outcome,” said Jansen, a day before the match in Barcelos.
,,We have to keep doing the little things well, no matter how simple that may seem’, continued the coach, who has attacker Jens Odgaard back after an injury. ,,That’s mainly in the game discipline. My team is then able to counter and neutralize all the energy and all the good impulses of the opponent.” The game starts on Thursday at 9 p.m.
Captain Bruno Martins Indi was able to speak to the press in Portuguese. “I was born here, I still have a house here and I still come here every year. It’s really coming home for me,” said the defender, who looked forward to the return with confidence. ,,I’ve never seen an opponent make up for a four-goal deficit. We want to show the best version of ourselves every time. That’s in our squad. It will be a new game on Thursday, but we are not going to give away a 4-0 lead.”
Martins Indi expects an opponent who wants to disrupt AZ’s game. “It’s up to us whether we go with it or not. We did that at home and it was a shame that resulted in a number of yellow cards. At halftime we then indicated that we had to be careful. Everyone is aware of that. We have to be good on the ball and finish the chances. I have every confidence in that.”
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