Portugal coach Roberto Martinez is aware of to respect the underdog, having already seen his workforce lose to Slovenia when the round of 16 opponents on the European Championship met in a pleasant in March.
Portugal misplaced by the identical 2-0 score to Georgia in a Euro 2024 group recreation, and Martinez was requested Sunday concerning the underdog pattern on the similar time that Slovakia was irritating England with a lead that lasted until the last seconds.
“All the teams here have a lot of personality. They believe that they can win,” Martinez mentioned forward of Portugal going through Slovenia once more on Monday (3 p.m. ET on FOX and the FOX Sports App).
“The same applies to Slovenia. They are very well organized, competitive, and believe 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 an enormous favourite.
Slovenia is enjoying its first elimination recreation in the knockout rounds at a significant event, its fourth in 32 years as an unbiased soccer nation.
“It’s a historical moment for Slovenian football,” Martinez mentioned, praising his counterpart Matjaž Kek. “We admire what their coach is doing because their national team plays like a club.”
“They assault in a short time. (Andraž) Šporar and (Benjamin) Šeško have a really sturdy bond, they usually saved a clear sheet towards England.”
That 0-0 towards England was a 3rd straight draw for Slovenia, one of six groups nonetheless unbeaten at Euro 2024.
Kek joined in the mutual respect, calling Martinez “a gentleman, he always behaves like that.”
The recreation is probably going to comply with 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 don’t need a lot of possession to be dangerous,” Martinez mentioned.
Portugal midfielder Bruno Fernandes expects endurance to be key to beating goalkeeper Jan Oblak, who he described as one of the world’s greatest.
“We know we have to tire them out, make them run around,” he mentioned. “If we can’t do it on the inside we will do it on the outside 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 Associated Press.
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