SPP / Panoramic / Daniela Porcelli / Guelbergoes
Roberto Martinez, coach of the Portuguese national team, decided to call up 32 players during the gathering next March. An innovative option, to allow his players to rest during the international break, which is crucial for some.
Cristiano Ronaldo, Joao Felix, Joao Cancelo, Vitinha, Danilo Pereira, Diogo Dalot, Ruben Neves, Otavio… will all be excused from the Portugal-Sweden match on Thursday. The result of an innovation adopted by coach Roberto Martinez, who is trying to manage the post-Euro group.
At the helm of the Portuguese squad for a year, Martinez surprised by selecting 32 players for this final match before the Euro, which will be held in Germany (June 14 – July 14). However, half of them will be exempted from part of the scheduled matches. This decision is intended to give some players some respite during a particularly difficult period of the season. “March is a very difficult time for playersRoberto Martinez justified in a press conference. There are a lot of games and mental fatigue and we have to manage that aspect.The Portuguese coach explained that he must summon another group of players to prepare for the match against Slovenia next Tuesday.
“It's too smart of him.”
Bruno Fernandes, Portuguese attacking midfielder for Manchester United
The choice of coach pleases the locker room. In a press conference, Manchester United player Bruno Fernandes gave his point of view:“It is very smart of him to try to manage the group, because there is a risk of injury.”
His club colleague and rival, Bernardo Silva – the attacking midfielder for Manchester City – confirmed the sentiment shared by the Seleção players: “ It's very positive. Personally, this helps me because the season is exhausting, and we suffer in all competitions. I am sure this will help us a lot to go to the Euro in the best conditions“, confirmed the 29-year-old.
Impact on group cohesion?
Although this choice has many positive aspects, it may also harm the collective spirit of the Portuguese national team, since some executives will not play together, will not intersect during this gathering, or only rarely. At present, this element has not been observed within seleção.
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