Former FC Porto goalkeeper Helton pointed out the differences between André Villas-Boas and Vítor Pereira, ahead of the clash with Nottingham Forest in the Europa League quarter-finals.
Helton, who worked with both at the Dragão, began by identifying what set them apart, highlighting the more technical profile of Vítor Pereira, who now manages the English side.
“He had more technical knowledge, was more focused on drills and on practice,” he said, in contrast with Villas-Boas, the current Porto president, who in his view stood out mainly for his leadership: “He had what for me is most important: managing human beings. He controlled the dressing room like no one else.”
Helton speaks about the relationship between Villas-Boas and Vítor Pereira
The former Brazil international also recalled the dynamic within the coaching staff, confirming that Villas-Boas often delegated tasks to his assistant.
“It’s true that many training sessions were delegated to Vítor Pereira, because of the trust in him and the knowledge he already had,” he explained, stressing that those abilities ended up helping the development of Nottingham Forest’s current manager.
Comparison of his development under the two coaches
When asked under which of the two he developed more, Helton refused to make distinctions, emphasizing that both contributed to his growth.
“There is no difference in development. I think I managed to grow under both of them within their approaches,” he said, adding that aspects such as the dressing room, the players and the way of working always influence individual and collective performance.
Views on Vítor Pereira’s future
Regarding Vítor Pereira’s path, Helton said the Portuguese coach has quality and experience, but avoided predicting a possible move into executive roles.
“That depends on whether he wants it. He certainly has the quality and knowledge, but I don’t believe he wants to go through that kind of adventure,” he said.
As for André Villas-Boas, he suggested that Porto’s current president still has traits that could bring him back to the bench, especially in terms of leadership and group management, though without going into further scenarios.
Importance of the match at the Dragão for FC Porto
As for the tie, Helton highlighted the importance of the first-leg match at the Estádio do Dragão, considering that it could be decisive for Porto’s ambitions.
“Every match is crucial, especially at the Dragão,” he said, acknowledging the ‘dragons’’ historical difficulties in England, but expressing confidence that the team can “make the difference” and fight for a place in the Europa League semi-finals.
FC Porto play Nottingham Forest this Thursday at 20:00, in the first leg of the Europa League quarter-finals, in a match to be played at the Estádio do Dragão in Porto.
This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇵🇹 here.
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