Gomes | ‘I'm very excited for the new season’

The winger is back in his home nation, with the Old Gold working in the Algarve this week, and new head coach Cesar Peixoto is running long and testing sessions to prepare the group for the challenges of the Championship.

An injury, coupled with relegation, meant it was a disappointing season last time out for Gomes, but he’s ready to put things right this term, under a head coach he made his full Liga Portugal debut against while at Braga in 2022.

On being back in Portugal

“We’re back home, back in Portugal, my country. It’s amazing weather, amazing pitches, an amazing country. It's amazing being here. I was at the under-21 Euros last season and I missed Portugal, but it’s very good. Even when I was in Braga, we used to do pre-season here in the Algarve. It's amazing.

“Being here is important because we are more connected as a team. We eat together all the time and we win together the whole week. This week is very important, but the next weeks are very important too. Every session is important to build our team, our confidence, our chemistry, and we're doing amazing job. The first week was very tough, but very good also. We need to keep going, keep improving, keep working.”

On the need for fitness

“It's very important. I think last season we missed a little bit of fitness, and now we need to build up to the maximum. We need to be as fit as possible to do an amazing season, and I'm very excited for the new season. I'm very happy to be here, and we are going to do everything to win as many games as possible.

“Of course, our goal is to get back to the Premier League again. So, we need to do everything this pre-season to be as fit as possible, as connected as possible, that's very important.”

On facing Peixoto teams before

“The last two years he did a very good job at Gil Vicente. I played against him when I was at Braga and I was 18. He was coaching Pacos de Ferreira, a team in north Portugal, and did a very good job. Now he’s here, he's going to do an amazing job too.

“Braga were considered a big team in Portugal, and Pacos were not as big as Braga, but they did a very good, very good game. They started winning the game, and then we turned around the game and we won 2-1. But they did a very good, a very good game.

“Their team was very compact. They scored a good goal, I think it was a free-kick, but they played very good. They attacked us in a very good moment, and was difficult, but we won.”

On Peixoto’s approach

“The first week was very good. He talked about his ideas and how he wants the play, how he wants the team to play and press, the build-up. They’re very good ideas and very specific ideas, and I think it's very important to have the specific ideas, so everyone knows what they need to do on the pitch. They’ve been big, big sessions, but good sessions, and all my teammates are doing amazing job.

“We need to have that standard. We need to learn more. We need to give more. Of course, the Championship is going to be very tough – 46 games. It’s a lot of games, two games in one week, and not loads of rest in between. We need to be fit, and now is the time to prepare for the season, and we need to do amazing season, so we need to do a very good pre-season as well.”

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On a tough last season

“I want to prepare very well to not get injured again. It is the worst feeling in the world. You want to play and you can't because you’re injured. It's a very bad feeling, and I don't want that to happen again. I will do everything this pre-season and during the season to be as fit as possible. I’ll be careful with my body and try to be as strong as possible.

“I want to help the team to achieve its goal, so I will do everything in my power every day, every game to try to help the team achieve that. Of course, I want to play, I want to show my quality, I want to score goals, I want to make assists, and I want to win games. I'm very, very excited for this new season.”