Matches are very important
Saturday, January 25, 2020
|
Shakhtar striker Junior Moraes reflects on the difficulties of training camps, the importance of friendlies, and the upcoming game vs Lech Poznan
- Junior, what does a training camp mean to you? How to explain this to a person who is not familiar with it so well?
- First of all, this is really hard work. Here you have time to prepare, and very often your fitness throughout the season depends on how well you train at the training camp. Most footballers don’t like training camps, because that’s really hard work, with just little time for recovery, plus you’re far from your family ... However, everyone is aware of how important it is for performing well during the season.
- You’ve been playing in Ukraine for a long time. Do you remember your first winter camp?
- Yes, of course I remember it! It’s very different from what I got used to in Brazil. These days, some young players come to join us, and for them it’s not easy at all. There was a time when I was just like them. But we all need to prepare very well in order to achieve your future goals.
- On what day of training do you get used to the workload?
- I guess that in addition to the intensive training sessions our coaches give us, friendlies are of great importance. You start to compete, willing to play and win. And when you are ready to spend 90 minutes on the field, only then you feel really good and start adapting to the season.
- The first friendly will take place today - vs Lech Poznan. A year ago, you also met these opponents and won 3-0, and you scored one of the goals. Do you remember that match?
- It was a very important game for me, and I remember it well. Every match, even a friendly one, every goal, all the important moments in the team are remembered forever and make you believe in yourself.
- What are your expectations of the upcoming game and what do you make of your readiness for the match?
- You know, this is the first time when I arrived at the training camp without training and without getting ready for it. The reason is my face surgery. So I feel that my level of fitness is slightly lower than the other guys’ level, but I try to work harder, to run, to sacrifice myself, and I hope that in three or four days my form will be just the same as that of the rest of guys.
- First of all, this is really hard work. Here you have time to prepare, and very often your fitness throughout the season depends on how well you train at the training camp. Most footballers don’t like training camps, because that’s really hard work, with just little time for recovery, plus you’re far from your family ... However, everyone is aware of how important it is for performing well during the season.
- You’ve been playing in Ukraine for a long time. Do you remember your first winter camp?
- Yes, of course I remember it! It’s very different from what I got used to in Brazil. These days, some young players come to join us, and for them it’s not easy at all. There was a time when I was just like them. But we all need to prepare very well in order to achieve your future goals.
- On what day of training do you get used to the workload?
- I guess that in addition to the intensive training sessions our coaches give us, friendlies are of great importance. You start to compete, willing to play and win. And when you are ready to spend 90 minutes on the field, only then you feel really good and start adapting to the season.
- The first friendly will take place today - vs Lech Poznan. A year ago, you also met these opponents and won 3-0, and you scored one of the goals. Do you remember that match?
- It was a very important game for me, and I remember it well. Every match, even a friendly one, every goal, all the important moments in the team are remembered forever and make you believe in yourself.
- What are your expectations of the upcoming game and what do you make of your readiness for the match?
- You know, this is the first time when I arrived at the training camp without training and without getting ready for it. The reason is my face surgery. So I feel that my level of fitness is slightly lower than the other guys’ level, but I try to work harder, to run, to sacrifice myself, and I hope that in three or four days my form will be just the same as that of the rest of guys.