http://www.uefa.com/magazine/news/kind=16/newsid=506930.html Simao soars Friday, 16 February 2007 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Important matches are coming thick and fast for SL Benfica winger Simao. After scoring for Portugal in their victory against Brazil last week he was the driving force behind his side's UEFA Cup defeat of FC Dinamo Bucuresti 1948 on Wednesday. Narrowly missing out on a place in the knockout rounds of the UEFA Champions may be a source of disappointment, but as the 27-year-old tells uefa.com, there is plenty still to play for this season. uefa.com: Did luck desert you when you needed it most in the UEFA Champions League? Simao: Yes, we were unlucky. Things started very well for us in our crucial last match against Manchester United [FC]. We went ahead but were unfortunate after that. In the previous match, Celtic [FC] had beaten United at home when a draw would have been good for us. It's very hard to face a team like Manchester away with all their supporters in the last group game. We started well but couldn't handle the pressure they put us under. uefa.com: You are now in the UEFA Cup. Does the fact Benfica have never won the competition give you extra motivation? Simao: It is very important for Benfica and for the players to do well in UEFA competitions. We were eliminated from the Champions League but we're in the UEFA Cup which is also important. I hope we can progress and, who knows, win it. European competitions are a great stage to play on. uefa.com: Benfica are enjoying a good run in the Portuguese Liga. What are your chances of winning the title? Simao: We're still dreaming because it's still possible. We had no luck in our last match [which finished goalless] against Boavista [FC]. We played really well and created a lot of opportunities, but our luck was out, and luck is a key factor in football. We're four points behind the leaders [FC Porto] and everything is possible. Two weeks ago we were eight points behind. We have to keep on winning to keep the dream alive. We can do it. uefa.com: Who had the biggest influence on you when you were starting out as a youngster? Simao: [Luis] Figo was a great influence and he's still a major figure in Portuguese and international football. Figo is also still my idol. I learned a lot from him when I first saw him play and I learned even more when I got the chance to play alongside him. He's a fantastic person. uefa.com: Who is the best coach you've worked under? Simao: I can name so many coaches, such as Octavio Machado, who gave me my debut at Sporting [Clube de Portugal]. At youth level I can mention Carlos Pereira, Rui Palhares and Paulo Leitao. At a senior level all my coaches have been all very important. uefa.com: What are Portugal coach Luiz Felipe Scolari's greatest strengths? I think the relationship between the coach and the players must be open, and that's the case with Scolari Simao: Scolari has many strong points as a coach. He is part of our family and knows how to approach the players. He speaks with all of us and takes part in our jokes and games. He's by our side. I think the relationship between the coach and the players must be open, and that's the case with Scolari. If there are ever any problems the doors are always open so we can talk and solve any issue immediately. uefa.com: You scored a memorable goal against Brazil in Portugal's recent 2-0 friendly win. Tell us about it. Simao: It's very difficult to describe my feelings when I score, but it was a decisive moment, because we ended up winning the match. Most of the Brazilian players thought the match would end 0-0 but we wanted to score and win the game. uefa.com: You scored in Portugal's UEFA EURO 2004 penalty shoot-out win against England. How do you approach taking a penalty in a high-pressure situation like that? Simao: I was used to taking penalties, but for that penalty there was much more pressure than usual because we were playing against England, in our country, at a packed stadium. People were a little nervous, even the players. You can't think of anything at the moment of shooting and you have to blank everything out from the stands. You have to focus on the penalty and then take the kick just as you imagined you would. uefa.com: Was reaching the final of that tournament in your home country the highlight of your career so far? Simao: You have good moments each season and others moments which are not so good - I won't say low moments because I don't like to use that word. Being at the final was very important and marked my career, but I have had other good moments as well. uefa.com: What advice would you give to young kids starting out in the game? Simao: Always believe in yourself. Self-confidence is very important in a young player. Most important of all is the capacity to listen to team-mates and coaches. --

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