Benfica manager Marko Silva shared his thoughts on his team’s performance in the UEFA Europa League qualifying match against Hearts, which ended in a 1-1 draw. The Portuguese side advanced comfortably thanks to their commanding 6-1 victory in the first leg.
“Regarding the game, the mission was accomplished. We did all the hard work in the first match. Yesterday, we didn’t start as we wanted—we talked about that, especially about the beginnings of second halves. With seven changes in the lineup, it was clear some players still aren’t ready to play the full 90 minutes. Our pressing wasn’t as effective. There were many situations where we wanted to experiment—this defensive line will probably not play another match this season. But it was important to see the players in action. We aimed to win, but some moments were expected,” Silva told A Bola.
Anatoliy Trubin, the Ukrainian goalkeeper, started on the bench for the third consecutive match this season. When asked about this, Silva appeared visibly irritated by the question:
“I put players on the field because I decide so. A goalkeeper needs consistency, but a central defender needs it too, and I make decisions I believe are right and provide explanations I consider appropriate.”
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