The goalkeeper looks ahead to the Champions League tie

Rui Silva previewed the game against Athletic Club in a pre-match press conference in Spain, and reflected on his previous experiences of playing at San Mames.

Previewing the game
"I've had the opportunity to play several times in this stadium, which has an incredible atmosphere. I know the difficulties we will face and I've spoken about it with some of my teammates. We represent a great club, so we are used to this type of atmosphere."

Confidence
"Confidence and motivation are intrinsic to Sporting CP. We had a great game against Paris Saint-Germain and confidence is high, but tomorrow will be a new game and a very important challenge that could put us among the Top 8 in Europe."

Athletic Club
"LaLiga in Spain is very demanding. Athletic Club may not be having the season they want, but they have a lot of quality and excellent players. They highly value the players from the region, and it's a great club. They are very quick in transition and also like to have the ball. We are prepared for this and for the atmosphere we will encounter."

Playing in big games
"I feel very proud. It's great to be able to play in the UEFA Champions League. All players aspire to this and I'm no exception. It's very rewarding to represent this club and play in this competition."

Sporting CP winning in Spain for the first time
"Tomorrow we have a great opportunity to break this tradition. It's not easy to play here, but the focus is on achieving victory. We have to control what depends on us and have a good game in order to win."