Coach Roberto Martínez stated today that Portugal can improve its performance level and hopes that this will happen on Monday against Luxembourg, at the Algarve Stadium, despite it being a “difficult” game, in qualifying for Euro2024 football.
“I like having a winning team, with quality off the ball and with the ball. In Slovakia (1-0), the off-the-ball qualities were at a high level. With the ball, we didn't have the moments we can have, especially considering the individual qualities in the locker room. But the attitude and effort was fantastic”, said Roberto Martínez.
The 50-year-old coach was speaking to journalists at the Algarve Stadium, the venue for the duel with the Luxembourgers, at the press conference previewing the sixth round of Group J.
“We need to improve the connection between players. We have to be more competent in some tactical situations. We want to do that now with Luxembourg and end this game window with another victory. We want to repeat what we did well in Slovakia, but for the full 90 minutes,” he said.
Despite the 6-0 victory in the first match in the group, Martínez recalled that Luxembourg arrives in the Algarve in second place in Group J, with 10 points, and with a record of three consecutive victories.
“It will be a difficult game. Luxembourg is a team that is confident after the latest results and has a good connection between players and coach. He has a clear idea of the game and attack”, said the Spanish coach.
Algarve player Gonçalo Ramos, the Portuguese player who was present at the Press Conference, also warns of the quality of tomorrow's opponent, who he considers to be a team that «is going through a good moment».
«We have to respect, they have been doing very well, they have quality players, but that for us is the same for all opponents, we will enter in the best possible way», he said.
The forward underestimated the individual importance he can have for the team, stating that the most important thing “is the idea that our team has in games”. “He's not a player who completely changes the team's way of playing and depending on how we play, I'm there to try to score and help the team as much as possible,” he said.
The national coach, for his part, confessed that he never imagined starting the qualifying phase for the next European Championship with five consecutive victories and praised the “focus and attitude” of his players.
“In international football, if we don't do our best, we can lose points against any team. I didn't imagine this beginning. Five games at different times of the season, with career changes and personal changes in the players' lives. Having continuity at an international level is very difficult. But, of course, I always believe that we have the capacity to win every game, ”he concluded.
After five rounds, Portugal leads Group J with 15 points, five points more than Slovakia and Luxembourg, who share second place, and nine points more than Bosnia-Herzegovina, fourth. Iceland is placed fifth, with three, while Liechtenstein remains last with zero.
Portugal-Luxembourg is scheduled for 19:45 pm and will be refereed by Englishman John Brooks.
Photos: Nelson Ferreira | Sul Informação
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