Portugal ‘must change’ to avoid repeat of Slovenia loss, warns Bruno Fernandes
Bruno Fernandes mentioned that Portugal will be cautious of Slovenia's ability to counterattack, acknowledging that their loss to them in a friendly match earlier this year has made the team more alert and attentive.
Fernandes predicted that Slovenia would try to defend in a compact formation to make it difficult for his team to score. His manager, Roberto Martínez, emphasized the importance of his players controlling their emotions during the match.
Fernandes didn't participate in the previous match against the other team, but he mentioned that Portugal needs to take away a valuable lesson from their loss in Ljubljana. "We discussed the game recently because it's important for us to remember how well they played against us," the midfielder explained. "We had the opportunity to identify what changes we need to make in order to be more effective against them. Their two forwards work together exceptionally well."
The Slovenia team has very skilled players that we highly regard. In a recent friendly match, they outplayed us, which serves as a wake-up call for us. We must adapt and try new approaches to ensure a successful outcome.
It doesn't make a difference to us if we are facing Slovenia or another team that is expected to win the Euros, as our objective remains the same: to show respect to every rival. We focus on the individual players rather than the team name, as we believe it is important to carefully analyze and study them.
When asked if he had spoken to his teammates at Manchester United about England's 0-0 draw with Slovenia, Fernandes said he had been in contact with them but they did not discuss the game or ways to improve because they play different styles of football.
England has their own style of play, but we have a unique way of playing. So, their strategies won't be very helpful to me. I have faith in my teammates and we trust our coaching staff to prepare us well for the match.
Portugal is aiming to get back to winning after losing to Georgia in their last Group F game. Martínez made nine changes to the outfield players. The manager expressed confidence in the pitch at the Frankfurt Arena, even though Uefa admitted it needed improvement. He also stated that his team is prepared for the knockout stage.
"We have played three games already, but tomorrow [Monday] will be a whole new challenge," the Spanish speaker stated. "We understand that it is now a critical situation. We must manage the current situation, control our feelings, have fun, display our talents, and demonstrate our capabilities."
"Slovenia excels in their defensive strategy and doesn't require a large amount of ball possession to pose a threat. We must remain patient and keep our emotions in check to succeed against them."
