Portugal positive to respect Slovenia in Euro 2024 spherical of 16 with contemporary reminiscence of upsets
Portugal coach Roberto Martinez is aware of to respect the underdog, having already seen his group lose to Slovenia when the spherical of 16 opponents on the European Championship met in a pleasant in March.
Portugal misplaced by the identical 2-0 rating to Georgia in a Euro 2024 group sport, and Martinez was requested Sunday in regards to the underdog development on the similar time that Slovakia was irritating England with a lead that lasted till the final seconds.
“All of the groups right here have quite a lot of character. They imagine that they’ll win,” Martinez mentioned forward of Portugal going through Slovenia once more on Monday (3 p.m. ET on FOX and the FOX Sports activities App).
“The identical applies to Slovenia. They’re very effectively organized, aggressive, and imagine in what they’re doing,” he mentioned in translated feedback.
Portugal, the European champion in 2016 and nonetheless with the veteran presence of Cristiano Ronaldo and Pepe, is a giant favourite.
Slovenia is taking part in its first elimination sport within the knockout rounds at a significant event, its fourth in 32 years as an unbiased soccer nation.
“It is a historic second for Slovenian soccer,” Martinez mentioned, praising his counterpart Matjaž Kek. “We admire what their coach is doing as a result of their nationwide group performs like a membership.”
“They assault in a short time. (Andraž) Šporar and (Benjamin) Šeško have a really robust bond, and so they stored a clear sheet towards England.”
That 0-0 towards England was a 3rd straight draw for Slovenia, certainly one of six groups nonetheless unbeaten at Euro 2024.
Kek joined within the mutual respect, calling Martinez “a gentleman, he at all times behaves like that.”
The sport is more likely to observe a sample. Portugal leads the event in most time possessing the ball and Slovenia has the least, with UEFA assessing their scores as 64.3% and 36.7%.
“They do not want quite a lot of possession to be harmful,” Martinez mentioned.
Portugal midfielder Bruno Fernandes expects persistence to be key to beating goalkeeper Jan Oblak, who he described as one of many world’s finest.
“We all know now we have to tire them out, make them run round,” he mentioned. “If we will not do it on the within we’ll do it on the surface and use the wings.”
The winner Monday in Frankfurt will transfer on to play France or Belgium on Friday in Hamburg.
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Reporting by The Related Press.
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