Viana do Castelo hosted this Tuesday, 18th of April, the presentation press conference for the WSE Champions League Final 8, where the eight best European teams of the current season will compete. For Orlando Panza, WSE Rink Hockey Chairman, this will be a competition that will set the standards for this sport future competitions.
It was held this Tuesday, April 18th, at the Centro de Mar – Navio Hospital Gil Eanes, in Viana do Castelo, the Final 8 presentation for the 58th edition of the Rink Hockey World Skate Europe Champions League. Present at the press conference, at the honorary table, were the World Skate Europe Rink Hockey Chairman, Orlando Panza, and Viana do Castelo City Hall Sports Councillor, Ricardo Rego. Representatives from AD Valongo/Colquímica, Barça, FC Porto, GSH Trissino, OC Barcelos, SL Benfica, Sporting CP and UD Oliveirense/Simoldes also attended the session.
Press Statements:
“Rink Hockey is the main sport in Viana do Castelo, therefore it’s an event we couldn’t say no to. It’s going to be a fantastic competition” – Ricardo Rego, Viana do Castelo City Hall Sports Councillor
“We will have surely, in Viana do Castelo, the eight best European teams. This competition will mark the competitive standards for the future” – Orlando Panza, World Skate Europe Rink Hockey Chairman.
“We expect a great match, one that dignifies Rink Hockey, but we’ll must be very competent to overcome FC Porto”. – Valter Neves, Sport Lisboa e Benfica Rink Hockey Team Manager.
“It’s a match (against SL Benfica) that neither team wanted in this Final 8 first game. We’ll have to give our best to reach the semi-finals”. – João Baldaia, FC Porto/Fidelidade Rink Hockey Director.
“We have the ambition to play a great competition. We will try to win it, after several years without being able to do so”. – Gaby Cairo, Barça Rink Hockey Director
“Barça is a world-class rink hockey team, but so are we. We want to be in the final”. – José Campos, Óquei Clube de Barcelos Director
“Oliveirense is among the best. It is a pride for us being here but we’re not here to stare at others. We will try to reach the next stage”. – Avelino Bastos, UD Oliveirense/Simoldes Rink Hockey Director
“There is always room to surprise. Like all teams, we’re going to Viana do Castelo to win”. – Joaquin Paúls, Sporting Clube de Portugal Rink Hockey Director
“We respect our opponents, but we want to clear the image left at the end of last year. Valongo is always surprising”. – António Costa, Associação Desportiva de Valongo Rink Hockey Director
The WSE Champions League Final 8 will take place between 4th and 7th of May, at Pavilhão Municipal José Natário, with the fixtures and schedules already defined as below.
Date and schedules of the fixture (local time GMT+1)
Quarter-finals
4.05.2023
18h00 – SL Benfica vs FC Porto;
21h00 – Barça vs OC Barcelos;
05.05.2023
18h00 – GSH Trissino vs UD Oliveirense;
21h00 – Sporting CP vs AD Valongo Colquímica;
Semi-finals
06.05.2023
15h00 – “Winner of Benfica vs FC Porto” vs “Winner of Barça vs OC Barcelos”
18h00 – “Winner of GSH Trissino vs UD Oliveirense” vs “Winner of Sporting CP vs AD Valongo Colquímica”
Final
07.05.2023
15h00
The first historic WSE Cup Women Final Four have defined...