“Criticisms from Braga to arbitration? I would like to say that I am not afraid, but...”

O gil Vicente's coach, Luís Pinto, today admitted to fear that the recent criticisms of Sporting Braga to arbitrations may influence the meeting between the two clubs, on Monday, for the Portuguese Football League.

“I would like to say that I am not afraid, but, unfortunately, yes, because something like this happened this year. There was a game in which the opponent spent the whole week complaining about arbitration and, unfortunately, there was no better arbitration, in our house ", said, in the preview to the game in delay of the second day, postponed in August due to the gastrotintestinal outbreak that affected the 'arsenalists'.

Asked about the Sporting de Braga communiqués and the criticisms of the president of the Brazilian State of Arbitration, Luís Pinto expressed concern, but said he believed in the seriousness of the arbitration team.

“I fear, but I want to believe very much in seriousness and ability. We're all gonna miss. You'll miss both teams, Gil and Braga, the arbitration team will also make mistakes, that's part of it. The only thing I want is to believe that we will be able to be serious and not give in to pressures”, he stressed.

The coach clarified that this concern did not alter Gil Vicente's preparation, arguing that players and technical team should maintain emotional control over decisions they consider wrong.

“ Sometimes we think the referees are wrong and most of the time we're wrong. We must be able to focus on what is important, which is our task. I want to believe in Portuguese football and the way of being people”, he explained.

About the minhoto derby, Luís Pinto refused to consider that the less positive moment of Sporting Braga favors Gil Vicente, who arrives to meet after three consecutive games without losing.

“ If we go in there thinking it's the perfect time for the opponent, we're shooting our feet. We have to look at our way of being and how much we want to compete”, he warned.

Luís Pinto considers that Gil Vicente is better prepared than he would be in August, due to greater knowledge among players, in a team that underwent several changes at the beginning of the season.

“There, it would be the second game of the season and here will be the ninth. In a team that has had so many changes, knowledge and playing among all are important. We will be more prepared than we were before,” he said.

The technician was equally confident to face a demanding calendar, which includes this meeting with Sporting Braga and then with FC Porto, in the championship, and Benfica, in the League Cup.

“I prefer calendars like this. It's much more interesting that we're always competing than we have a lot of time to train. There are more games, there are more fans to watch football ", observed.

For this match, the ‘cooks’ cannot count on the injured Bamba and Tchaptchet, nor on Guilherme Gomes and Bermejo, who were not registered at the starting date of the game.

Gil Vicente, eighth ranked, with 11 points, plays on Monday in the field of Sporting Braga, ninth, also with 11, in a match scheduled for 20:15, with arbitration of Gustavo Correia, of the Porto Football Association.