At the Press Conference with André Villas Boas ~ MotivaGoal

Villas Boas during a UEFA Europa League match

They call him the new Mourinho, but he is making a name for himself in European football very quickly. He is André Villas Boas and this current season he led FC Porto to a triple championship including the Portuguese league and Cup as well as the UEFA Europa League Championship.

Alongside José Mourinho at Chelsea

He began his career at the age of 19 when he was a scout for FC Porto alongside Jose Mourinho, and followed the Real Madrid coach to Chelsea and Inter Milan. He is now 33 years old and after only two years of coaching experience he is the youngest manager to ever lead his team to lift a European trophy.

Shortly after having won the Europa League Cup in Dublin, I had the opportunity
to ask Villas Boas at the official press conference about how me motivated his players before such an important match.

Below you will find the transcript.

Diego Valdés - MotivaGoal - Hi André, just wondering, you mentioned earlier, and everybody kind of knew this going in, that, FC Porto was the favourite going into the final, so can you tell us what you told your players before the match, as far as having the mental preparedness to approach this match?

Andre Villas Boas - I think the most important thing for them is to make the transfer into an environment of a final and to be competitive and be concentrated. I think the merit is all to them because to go into the pitch before a European Final is something very very difficult. I was not a player, I'm not able to tell you, but the way I felt must be the way they felt and they were able to concentrate into the game and their tasks, because Braga is a very very efficient team and they could kill you in the minimum opportunity, and fortunately enough these players are able to go into that mental state straight away so the merit if for them.