Bento relishing Barcelona test
Sunday, September 14, 2008
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The UEFA Champions League draw has dealt Sporting Clube de Portugal a tough hand, beginning with a Group C game at FC Barcelona on Tuesday, but coach Paulo Bento refuses to lower his targets.
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Group opener
Sporting kick off their fifth group-stage campaign at Camp Nou with Bento aware that the first test may yet be the toughest. "Of course we'll have respect for Barcelona, because of the quality of their players and the quality of their team," said the coach. "We know they're favourites to win the group. They will also be favourites for this match, just as they will be for any game in the group. But Sporting will play to win in Barcelona. You could say that not losing would be a good result, but Sporting don't play just to avoid defeat, whatever the stadium."
'One favourite'
The Lisbon club's third successive group phase may start with a rigorous examination, yet it is arguably an easier draw than in the last two seasons, with FC Shakhtar Donetsk and FC Basel 1893 being the other rivals. In 2006/07 they were pooled with FC Bayern München and FC Internazionale Milano; last term they had United and AS Roma in their section. "This year's group has only one favourite, which is Barcelona," said the 39-year-old trainer.
Quality opponents
Sporting may even be seen as the team most likely to take second spot behind Barça. Bento is not convinced. "I don't like to assume things," he said. "We have one team who are champions of Switzerland and who have had the same coach for a number of years. They have built a reputation in those years. Then we have the champions of Ukraine. They, like most of the top sides in Russia and Ukraine, have a very large budget. They have quality players, even though they've been having some problems in their league."
New signings
With the signings of Marco Caneira, Fábio Rochemback and Hélder Postiga, Sporting have also consolidated the side who were runners-up in the 2007/08 Portuguese Liga. "We have kept most of our players and the same structure," he explained. The goal remains to reach the knockout rounds for the first time. "Sporting have always had that objective, even in the last two seasons with the groups we were drawn in," Bento added. "If we can show our maturity, organistion and the quality that our players have, with a bit of luck we can achieve our target."