André Lima sounds warning to rivals

By Rui Matos Pereira

Despite their considerable talent, Portugal have never reached a UEFA European Futsal Championship semi-final. However, captain André Lima believes that in Ostrava they have the potential not just to reach the last four, but to lift the trophy itself.

Ready to perform
Portugal's achievement in finishing third at the 2000 FIFA Futsal World Championship was proof of their ability, and last year in Chinese Taipei they were only narrowly pipped by eventual finalists Spain and Italy in the second group stage. The 33-year-old André Lima has been key to his nation's rise to prominence and warns Portugal's rivals that they "can do better than we did in the World Cup".

Evolution continues
He said: "We hope to develop a little bit more and we think we can do just that, as we have what it takes to be successful." However, the forward knows that with their first two group matches against Italy and Spain - respectively the European and global champions - one of the world finalists will need to be beaten.

Spanish defeat
André Lima said: "I do not usually like to talk about luck in Futsal, but a lack of it affected us during the finals in Taiwan, especially during the game against Spain [a 3-1 defeat]. When we were pushing for an equaliser, they scored and then we had our goalkeeper João Benedito sent off."

Start crucial
The SL Benfica player continued: "Starting our European Championship campaign with a win against either Italy or Spain would leave us in a good position to qualify - as long as we can produce a good performance against Hungary. From then on we will need to remain focused as there are very strong teams in the other group."

Competitive continent
Indeed, André Lima - who struck a hat-trick for his club in the second leg of last season's UEFA Futsal Cup final as they lost to Boomerang Interviú FS - admits the continental competition is virtually as tough as the World Championship. "This tournament only misses Brazil and Argentina and the matches are much more competitive and balanced," he said.

Goalkeeping talent
As for potential stars in the Czech Republic, André Lima points to the men goalscorers like him will have to beat. "This tournament will be an event marked by the performance of the goalkeepers, like Spain's Luis Amado, who was in top form in the world championship and can single-handedly decide a match, and Portugal's João Benedito, who is now blossoming," he said.