Demichelis
(First win) “I’m not sure whether a draw would have been a more fair result, taking into account their two goal opportunities at the end of the match. However we also had several chances to score earlier on in the game, which we couldn’t convert into goals. Overall we performed well, created goal opportunities, and came away with three very important points.”
(Fabrice debut) “It’s all about confidence as a player. Being included in the team line-up for the first time, and at such a young age, really is amazing. The Club needs to look after him well and keep working hard. He showed fantastic skill on the pitch and then scored the winning goal. It’s not easy being part of the team, and feeling comfortable when you’re so young, as he’s not been working with us for very long. He needs to be congratulated for his achievement, but helped along as well so he continues to work hard.”
(Team performance) “You can’t fault the team’s energy, fighting spirit and motivation, following the difficult situation over the past few weeks. However, we as players have tried to keep all these problems off the pitch, and focus on the work we need to do. We’ve always worked with the same level of excitement surrounding the start of the League season, and to win our first away game, is a brilliant start.”
(Champions League play-off) “Having won our first League game of the season, we can now concentrate on the next match. It’s such a significant game for the Club, the city and the entire team. We’ll play the best football we possibly can, and focus all our energies on this match, so we can win this play-off.”
Portillo
(Team capability) “It’s going to be a long and difficult season, but I think the team is totally capable of such high-level competition. I think we’ve showed this today.”
(Fabrice goal) “He’s a phenomenal player. I’m really happy for him, he’s such a good guy and a great team mate, who always tries his best and helps the team as much as possible.”
(First three points) “Gaining three points from our first away match is an extra motivation for us, against a tough rival. We’re very pleased with our performance, and hope to continue like this throughout the season.”
