CFR coach launches Braga offensive

CFR 1907 Cluj won 3-1 at SC Braga on matchday one, but their new coach Paulo Sérgio knows they will not get another three points so easily against his countrymen, SC Braga, in UEFA Champions League Group H. Arsenalistas boss José Peseiro coached in Romania with FC Rapid Bucureşti back in 2008, but his focus is on the here and now and his side's battle for qualification.

CFR
Paulo Sérgio, coach
Our goal is to improve with every game and we want to show tomorrow that the defeat by Astra [on Friday] was an accident. I know Braga and their coach very well. They are a club who have seven Portuguese internationals.

We all know how CFR have earned four points. When a team are on the defensive, it gives their opponents strength. My team will be attacking, but that depends on Braga too.
 It is very important to keep the ball and to use it well. We will have to take advantage of the space behind the strikers.

Braga have very skilful players, so we must be more competitive than them. They are like Shakhtar Donetsk, because they have a lot of Brazilians who can help them to outplay the opposition and make the difference in a game.
 My players know very well what they have to do. They know they have to change their attitude.

Weekend result
Friday: CFR 0-2 FC Astra Ploieşti (Budescu 45+1, Ivanovski 87)
Felgueiras; Pinto, Cadú (Valente 63), Piccolo, Rada (Hora 81); Luís Alberto (Vass 74); Rui Pedro, Sougou, Bastos, Camora; Kapetanos.

• Pantelis Kapetanos squandered an added-time penalty as Paulo Sérgio suffered his first league defeat as CFR coach.

Team news
Gabriel Mureșan is available following a domestic suspension, although László Sepsi is still sidelined with the injury he sustained on matchday four.

Braga
José Peseiro, coach
What we have learned from the previous games in the group is to be as serious as ever – to prepare well in attack, to keep the ball as much as possible, and of course to try and eliminate the mistakes we made, especially against Manchester United. We must respond well on the field.

We dominated in the first game against CFR but I must admit we did not have a great night. We will be up against a very strong opponent again, and I don't think they will catch us unawares as they did in the home fixture. We have learned our lesson.

I don't think Paulo Sérgio could have changed their game so much in such a short space of time. If CFR are in the Champions League group stage, it means they're very strong, but when we get out onto the pitch, we will go for the win. I coached in Romania, it's true, but I haven't come here to settle old scores. I am the coach of Braga and I want to win.

Weekend result
Friday: FC Pampilhosa 1-3 Braga (Leitão 38; Viana 11, Alan 22pen, Zé Luís 90+1)
Quim; Baiano, Douglão, Haas, Ismaily; Djamal, Mossoró, Viana (Manoel 90+3); Barbosa, Alan (Mauro 90+3), Carlão (Zé Luís 86).

• Alan converted his third penalty in four games as the Arsenalistas progressed to the last 16 of the Portuguese Cup at the expense of their third-tier opponents.

Team news
Fit-again striker Carlão made his first appearance since 2 September during Braga's weekend cup win. Paulo Vinicius and Paulo César (both thigh) sat out the tie.

Match fact
• Braga have never visited Romania before but will face a familiar rival in CFR's Portuguese coach Paulo Sérgio, who replaced Ioan Andone in late October and was once at the helm of the Arsenalistas' local rivals Vitória SC