Pepe was dismissed, this Wednesday, from the work of the national team for “physical reasons”.
This Wednesday, Pepe had just done some recovery work in the gym, together with striker João Félix. Bernardo Silva was also out of the field of play this Tuesday, but has already returned to Fernando Santos’ command.
In a statement, the Portuguese Football Federation announces that the central defender has been evaluated and is out of the team’s next matches, against the Czech Republic and Spain, counted for the League of Nations.
Pepe is the third player to leave the work of the ‘quinas’ team, after striker Rafa, from Benfica, who resigned from the national team and did not even train with the group, having been replaced by debutant Gonçalo Ramos, and the injured Raphaël Guerreiro (Borussia Dortmund), replaced by left-back Mário Rui (Naples).
After four rounds of the League of Nations, the Portuguese are in second place in Group A2, with seven points, after having beaten Switzerland (4-0) and the Czech Republic (2-0), in Lisbon, tied in Seville. with Spain (1-1), and lost in Geneva, against the Swiss (1-0).
Spain leads the group with eight points, while the Czech Republic is third with four and Switzerland last with three.
The ‘quinas’ team, winner of the first edition of the League of Nations in 2019, by beating the Netherlands in the final, needs to win the group to reach the ‘final four’ of the third edition, the second being won by France, in a final with Spain, in 2021.
The four winners of the League A group qualify for the final, which includes the semi-finals, the final and the match for third place. The ‘final four’ of the third edition of the race will be held in June 2023.
Source: TSF
