Brazilian coach unexpectedly represents Nam Dinh Club at the press conference

Assistant coach Andre Lima unexpectedly stood in for Nam Dinh Club at the press conference before the Gamba Osaka match.

On the afternoon of November 4th, assistant coach Andre Lima and defender Lucas Alves attended the press conference ahead of the Nam Dinh vs Gamba Osaka match in the AFC Champions League 2025/26 group stage.

Regarding the preparation for the match, assistant coach Andre Lima stated: "This will be a challenging game. We know Gamba Osaka is very strong; they are favorites to advance from this group. However, tomorrow we will perform well. Nam Dinh has prepared thoroughly over the past week, training diligently and enthusiastically. We are confident the entire team will deliver their best performance.

Recently, we have been short-handed due to injuries and illness, but in the AFC Champions League, we can field more foreign players. I cannot reveal the registered squad yet, but Nam Dinh will definitely have a solid lineup, leverage home advantage, and aim for the best results."

It was quite surprising that neither head coach Nguyen Trung Kien nor technical director Vu Hong Viet attended the press conference before the Gamba Osaka match; instead, assistant Andre Lima did. Earlier that day, Nam Dinh Club had just announced the return of assistant coach Andre Lima. Andre Luiz Athayde Lima, born on February 3, 1971, is Brazilian and has extensive experience working in Asian countries such as Qatar, UAE, and Vietnam.

In the 2023/2024 season, he accompanied the team as fitness coach and helped them win the V.League championship. With his dedicated and passionate approach, assistant coach Andre Lima energizes the players during every training session and match.

At the press conference, defender Lucas Alves affirmed his resolve: "The team’s goal is always to win. Playing at home in international matches is an advantage, and we will strive to convert that advantage into positive results.

We understand the team is going through a tough period. In such circumstances, we push ourselves harder and stay determined. We train rigorously, persevere, and overcome challenges together. The first leg away match did not yield a satisfactory result, but we have since learned from it and adjusted our training. We believe we will perform better tomorrow."