SOCCER-CHAMPIONS/ASTANA Kazakhstan's FC Astana hope to surprise Benfica in first Champions League match
Record ID:
139911
SOCCER-CHAMPIONS/ASTANA Kazakhstan's FC Astana hope to surprise Benfica in first Champions League match
- Title: SOCCER-CHAMPIONS/ASTANA Kazakhstan's FC Astana hope to surprise Benfica in first Champions League match
- Date: 14th September 2015
- Summary: LISBON, PORTUGAL (SEPTEMBER 14, 2015) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF ASTANA PLAYERS GATHERED ON PITCH LISTENING TO COACH ASTANA PLAYERS WARMING UP ASTANA COACH STANIMIR STOILOV DURING TRAINING SESSION (SOUNDBITE) (Russian) ASTANA COACH, STANIMIR STOILOV, SAYING (ACCORDING TO OFFICIAL TRANSLATION): " I think Benfica is a team of an excellent level, very well organized, very good as a team and with very good players with great individual skills, a very ambitious team. Our goal is to try not to give them any space close to our area." VARIOUS OF ASTANA PLAYER WARMING UP (SOUNDBITE) (Russian) ASTANA COACH, STANIMIR STOILOV, SAYING (ACCORDING OFFICIAL TRANSLATION): "I'm very happy to return to Portugal. I feel very well in Portugal and I remember the good time here with very friendly people. Regarding the match, it will be a very tough game for us and the key to our success is discipline and play in counter attack, and I would like to highlight that this is our first time in a group stage and that give us great motivation to do a good match and we will give our best." VARIOUS OF PLAYERS STRETCHING (SOUNDBITE) (Kazakh) ASTANA PLAYER, ABZAL BEYSEBEKOV, SAYING (ACCORDING OFFICIAL TRANSLATION): "We watched Benfica's last two or three matches. They have a great squad but we will do our best and try to spring a surprise." GOALKEEPERS VARIOUS OF TRAINING IN PROGRESS VARIOUS OF PLAYERS TRAINING WITH BALL
- Embargoed: 29th September 2015 13:00
- Keywords:
- Location: Portugal
- Country: Portugal
- Topics: General
- Reuters ID: LVAEDV6NH97PX49WW04072KITL7V
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: Astana trained on Monday (September 14) evening at Luz stadium in Lisbon before their debut match in the Champions League group stage against Benfica.
According to Astana coach Stanimir Stoilov, Benfica has a great team and his players will have to do their best to try to close the route to their goal line.
"I think Benfica is a team of an excellent level, very well organized, very good as a team and with very good players with great individual skills, a very ambitious team," he said at his team's news conference. "Our goal is to try not to give them any space close to our area."
The Kazakh team are drawn in Group C alongside twice winners Benfica, 2014 runners-up Atletico Madrid and regular Champions League combatants Galatasaray.
Stoilov played in Portugal back in the 1990s and still remembers the good days and good people but also knows that tomorrow's match will be difficult for his squad.
"I'm very happy to return to Portugal. I feel very well in Portugal and I remember the good time here with very friendly people," said the former Campomaiorense player.
"Regarding the match, it will be a very tough game for us and the key to our success is discipline and play in counter attack, and I would like to highlight that this is our first time in a group stage and that give us great motivation to do a good match and we will give our best," he said.
Playing against Astana creates logistical problems for their group stage opponents who have to fly several thousand kilometres across five or six time zones to Central Asia for a midweek game.
Abzal Beysebekov told reporters that he wants to surprise their opponents in their first Champions League match.
"We watched Benfica's last two or three matches, they have a great squad but we will do our best and try to spring a surprise." he said.
Astana were founded just six years ago and won their maiden Kazakh league title in June. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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