Africa-Press – Angola. The national competitions won, the presence in the group stage of the Champions League in football and the participation in the final stage of the African Basketball League indicate a good season for Petro de Luanda, which could be better.
This was confirmed by the club’s chairman, Tomás Faria, when balancing the 2022-23 season this Sunday with an approach to the ideas of his consulate for the present and future of the community, founded in 1980.
In an interview with Rádio-5, he praised winning the National Football Championship and the Angola Cup, the national men’s basketball competition, the Cup Winners’ Club Cup and the African Super Cup in women’s handball.
On the contrary, he pointed out the fourth position of the African Basketball League and the fact that football has not been able to do better than the group stage in the “champions“, when the ambition is to make the team one of the best in Africa.
To reach that goal, he thinks regularity is needed in the quarter-finals, semi-finals and finals, as has been the case in the group stage since 2018, adding that the path is made by walking.
He stated that in the Champions League, Petro, with only 43 years of existence, faces centennial opponents with long years of regularity, being necessary to respect the evolutionary processes to reach such a level.
“We can even sporadically win one game or another, but for the leap it is necessary to prepare the process. This is what we are doing, improving assets to face these great teams“.
As he said, the footballers who evolve in the country are strong, including from a physical point of view, but when compared, for example, to those in North Africa, the difference in tactical culture is evident.
Angola Football League
The interviewee said it was too late for the implementation of the event this year, but he was satisfied with the steps taken between the Angolan Football Federation and the National Association of Angolan Football Clubs.
It characterized the communication between the bodies as being more objective towards the implementation of the new model of dispute of the National Championship (Girabola), being the process, almost irreversible.
He referred that Angola is already behind in this claim, which was expected to start in the 2020-2024 quadrennium, with adjustments to be made throughout the process, without even thinking about perfection.
The president of the Eixo Viário club agrees with the opinion that Angola should adopt a League in accordance with its reality, with the only thing necessary being clear that it has an autonomous entity.
Management of the Sports Citadel
The official addressed the issue of the public tender involving the Cidadela stadium and reiterated the fact that Sonangol, owner of the club, was one of the competitors.
He referred that the process was well underway for the management of the unused complex, fundamentally its main pavilion, which water enters when it rains.
He added that the stadium would be entirely beneficial for the tricolor nation due to its proximity to Catetão and areas such as Rangel, Sambizanga, Cazenga and Bairro Popular with a large resident associative mass.
Tomás Faria spoke of the club’s interest in exploring the Coqueiros stadium for the first round of Girabola2023-24 and the initial phase of the Champions League, while the 11 de Novembro stadium is under construction.
Super League of Football on the 11th of November
The manager valued the ongoing process between the management of Petro de Luanda and the África Superliga so that the launch of the first edition is in Angola, with all the gains inherent therefrom.
He pointed out advantages, not only in the sporting field, but also in terms of tourism, hotels and the visibility of the country in such a period.
He referred that, in situations of the kind, the president of FIFA, Gianni Infatino, is always present and with him many other figures of world football.
The first edition of the African Super League in football will be played in October and November, with the participation of eight teams, including Petro de Luanda (Angola).
The group is completed by Wydad Athletic and Raja Casablanca, both from Morocco, Al Ahly from Egypt, Mamelodi Sundowns from South Africa, Simba SC from Tanzania, Esperance from Tunis from Tunisia and Horoya from Guinea Conakry.
Each team, exempt from expenses with transport and accommodation, to be borne by CAF, will receive a participation bonus valued at one million euros, with the winner receiving around six million.
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