Levski coach Julio Velasquez was very pleased with the performance of his players in the draw with Sporting (Braga) in the first match of the second preliminary round of the Europa League, FOCUS reported.
"The team played a very good match. We were obviously moving in an upward direction, after having difficulty getting into rhythm in the first minutes. However, after that we understood what was expected of us, we entered the match and stood extremely well without the ball. The boys gave it their all. We reduced their opportunities to zero and performed well with the ball, as we felt where we could have an advantage", he told Diema Sport.
"It was important to quickly turn the front of the attacks and attack the space behind their first line. In general, we did very well against a very serious team. Levski had a winning mentality today and I am proud of my players. I am also grateful to the fans, who were incredible.
We are a diverse team that is currently showing a good game. We need to be proactive and all players must be prepared. As is happening now, the team is always more important to us than any individual. Braga will buy a player for 15 million and we must continue to approach it seriously.
For today, I give an extremely high rating to Levski's players", the Spanish specialist also said.
"It was an equal match. Levski has two weeks more preparation and has already eliminated a valuable opponent. It is difficult to play your first official match after the series of controls. It's hard for me to give a definitive assessment".
This was stated by Sporting (Braga) coach Carlos Vicens,
"I am satisfied with the performance of my players and their dedication. I hope that in a week we will be in better condition and will do our job. This match will be similar to today's, but for both teams it will be like a final. Levski will be ready again, but this also applies to us. From this moment we start thinking about this match", the specialist also commented.