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Guimaraes and Setubal kick off Portuguese championship tonight

Both clubs looking to repeat last year’s success

Vitoria Setubal make a trip north to the Estadio D. Afonso Henriques tonight as they visit Vitoria Guimaraes to get the festivities underway and officially launch the 2008/09 Portuguese championship.

New Setubal coach Duato Faquira is excited to get things started with his new club. “We are eager and anxious to get things started which is usual at this stage of the season,” explained the former Estrela da Amadora boss.

“Vitoria Guimaraes had a fantastic season last year, as did we, and they deserve all our respect. We know that it will be a complicated match as we will go up against opponents who are motivated and there will be a hostile atmosphere in the stadium.

“Guimaraes will want to have a good game, but we have our strengths in order to approach the encounter with optimism.”

In relation to the rest of the season, Faquira would like nothing more than for Setubal to finish in the top ten, but realises that matching the exploits of his predecessor Carlos Carvalhal, who guided the team to sixth place and won the inaugural Carlsberg Cup, is a tall order.

“At the beginning of the season we defined clear objectives, and that is to finish between fifth and eight place. Guimaraes are but one obstacle in they way of us achieving this objective.”


Related: Big Three 2008/09 season preview

Filipe eyes debut

On the other side of the barricade, Guimaraes full-back Luis Filipe wants to ensure that his team make the perfect start to their campaign, but also knows that getting past Setubal will not be easy as he holds tonight’s opponents in high esteem.

“We are determined to start the championship well because a victory against Setubal will constitute as a motivating factor for the next game,” stated the former Benfica defender.

“I have recovered from injury but I am not all that concerned about whether I start or not. The choice is always the coach’s. It is natural that I am still not at the fitness level that I will be in one to two weeks, but I feel prepared to play when the coach wants me to.”