Agostinho Bento said the best result of Paredes' Portuguese Cup run came with a personal cost on 18 October 2026. Paredes beat Famalicao 1-0, but Bento said the coach he would least like to beat was Carlos Carvalhal.
Bento's bond with Carvalhal
"Of course I was very happy to have won, but the coach I would least like to beat was Carvalhal. We are very good friends, as are, for that matter, our families," Bento told A Bola.
The friendship goes well beyond football. Bento said he had a heart attack in 2016 when he went up with Fafe to Liga 2, spent several days in intensive care, and remembers Carvalhal being one of the first two visitors when he woke up, alongside his wife.
He also said the pair played together at Chaves for three years, often roomed together on away trips and stayed in touch after their careers took them in different directions. Bento described Carvalhal as a mentor at Chaves and said the victory was "highly tasty", only with the regret that it came against him.
Paredes' Cup run keeps rolling
The result also fits a stronger pattern around Paredes. They have won three of their last five Cup matches, and their league record is four wins, one draw and one defeat in six matches. They are first in their Liga 3 section.
That is the part that should not be ignored. This was not a one-night upset from a side limping through the season. It was another win for a team that is handling knockout football well while also sitting on a solid league return.
Paredes' next Cup draw is still ahead, and Bento has already said he would rather avoid the biggest clubs if he can. On this evidence, though, the emotional story from 18 October is likely to linger longer than the scoreline.
Written by Sam Whitfield with AI-assisted research, cross-checked against 1 outlet. How we work →
