In the 25th round of the Chinese Super League (CSL) on the evening of September 13th, Shanghai Seaport won 2-0 against Shenzhen Xinpengcheng by virtue of their home field. After the match, Seaport head coach Muscat attended the press conference and gave a detailed review of the match, talking about the return of Wu Lei and other internationals as well as the decision to replace Gustavo.
Muscat began by reviewing the preparations for the game, "We had a break of about three weeks before this game, which had an impact on our preparations. The preparation process was a bit intermittent as we were unable to train all of our players together. Nevertheless, we eventually won the game, but not at the level we expected from the content of the game. There were some passing errors and some good chances that we didn't capitalize on. However, the winning result is very important for us, it allows us to get back into the rhythm of the league and instills confidence in us for the rest of the campaign."
Talking about the return of Wu Lei and other national team players, Muscat could not hide his joy: "We are very happy that Wu Lei and other players of the national team can return to the team, and their arrival undoubtedly enhances our strength. Today, Wu Lei scored a goal, which is a very good thing for him personally, but also the result of our whole team's joint efforts. We attach great importance to the overall performance of the team, but Wu Lei's goal undoubtedly added more colors to the team's victory. I'm not surprised at all by his performance and goals today because I know his strength and ability. Of course, I will also be happy for his goal."
Asked about the decision to replace Gustavo, Muscat explained, "Replacing Gustavo was a well thought out decision. First of all, we need to consider that the team has a lot of matches to play in a short period of time, so we need to allocate the players' physical strength appropriately. In addition, the replacement players also need some time to adapt to the rhythm of the game and to train their fitness. So this is a result of multiple considerations. It's worth mentioning that we also have an AFC Elite League match on Wednesday, and Gustavo will also be playing then, so we need to make sure that he can maintain his best form."
Muscat's speech showed his clear understanding of the team's current situation and his positive attitude towards future matches. Despite the difficulties encountered in the preparation process, the whole Harbor team remains united and is working hard to achieve better results.
