I’M USED TO DIFFERENT SYSTEMS
“I think it probably could be worse for the younger players because, for me, I know very well what the players of Sporting were doing, I know exactly what they were doing in their positions, not because I was reading what the manager was doing there but because I was watching their games. Obviously, as the manager said, we are international players and every time you go to the national team, you probably play in a different system. For example, when I go to the national team sometimes we also play with a back three. Sometimes I play as a 10, sometimes I play a little bit deeper, sometimes I play a little bit wider so already in the national team I had that experience of a manager with a [different] formation. Like the manager said, we play with a three at the back but we rotate and play different ways. You press them in one way, you defend in another way, you attack in a way, you always have to move. In the national team we do that a lot, so I don't think age should be a problem, either older or younger, it's about carrying the most you can from the dynamics and the players you have around. Then, I think every training session try to get something from the game and understand what the manager demands from us. At the end, as the manager said, you don't need to overthink things, you just have to know that we have a base, a foundation and from there on you still have to play and do your game.”