The “great responsibility” that Portugal faces in the European under-21 football tournament has consisted of getting closer to the “past quality of play” patented by previous generations, coach Rui Jorge acknowledged this Saturday.
“The Under-21s have set the bar very high in terms of quality. Perhaps for this reason, at this point, opinions are a bit conditioned. I think that this has penalized the players in relation to their performance. They have been brave and very supportive. The team has fought a lot and with a lot of heart, but, indeed, it has not reached the quality of play that we once achieved. It is not fair that they are sanctioned as they are being sanctioned for that, ”analyzed the coach, at a press conference.
Rui Jorge spoke in the preview of the match with England, on Sunday, about the quarterfinals of the competition, in which he hopes that the current vice-champions “continue to demonstrate their passion for competing, loyalty towards the rival and the collective spirit that we have” .
“I want us to be able to improve the quality. They don’t mind carrying all the weight of the quality of the game that they put on their shoulders. We know that it’s something we have to deal with. There will be the same willingness, because I think nothing has been lacking “, project.
Portugal, who finished second in Group A, faces England this Sunday, undefeated winner of ‘Poule’ C and champion of the tournament in 1982 and 1984, starting at 8:00 p.m. local time (5:00 p.m. in Lisbon), at Ramaz Shengelia Stadium in the Georgian city of Kutaisi.
“England are a fantastic team and are full of excellent players, who have worked very well collectively. They have been very solid defensively and very sharp attackingly. I expect to face a great team. There is some uncertainty about dominance of the game, but I think it is balanced and has transitions, which can be dangerous for each side. It can be a beautiful show,” he said.
Portugal qualified for the third time in the last five editions for the round of 16 of the European Under-21 Championship and is once again among the eight finalists, after an irregular first phase, in which they lost to the hosts Georgia (2-0 ), drew against the Netherlands (1-1) and decisively beat Belgium (2-1), with a penalty scored in the 89th minute.
“I don’t think there has been a game in which I haven’t talked to my players and pointed out situations to improve. This is a constant, regardless of the result. Often, that result doesn’t even bring the biggest criticism. from me, but there will always be things that we have and want to improve, as well as others that we have and want to continue doing well”, indicated Rui Jorge, whose group will be entirely at your disposal.
In addition to aiming for access to the semifinals of the European Under-21 Championship, a competition in which it has already lost the decisions of 1994, 2015 and 2021, Portugal can now consummate its fifth participation in an Olympic Games, after Amsterdam1928, Atlanta1996, Athens2004 and Rio2016.
“If you look, almost all the teams do math from the first game and few were the ones who didn’t need it. We don’t play to do math, but to perform well and be better than our rivals. [Um eventual ‘play-off’] It will not enter our thinking. Players take the field with defined tasks and not with results in mind. If they do, they won’t be doing something right,” he added.
Source: TSF
