Portugal is a team “as well established and as strong as France,” warns Germany coach Joachim Löw before the clash of the two countries on Saturday in Munich.
The Seleçao won only one match and must “keep their feet on the ground” after their clear victory against Hungary (3-0), retorted the defender of the Seleçao Ruben Dias.
Here are the main statements made on Friday, the day before the game.
Progress from the first game
Ruben Dias: “We are perfectly aware that, even though we have started the Euro very well, we have to keep our feet on the ground. We will have to be better to win the next match (…) It’s a new context, a new opponent and new difficulties, but we will be ready. “
Joachim Löw: “Tactically we need to bring more offensive power compared to the match against France (0-1). When we are in the opposing 30 meters, we have to stay there. The receding balls that we played, it was not a problem of the team’s breaking in, it was a lack of risk taking. This is what we will have to do better against Portugal. Defensively, however, there is not much to change. “
Tactics
Löw: “We’re not going to rush into the assault blindly. Portugal is not a Ronaldo one-man show. We cannot neglect the defense. “
Fernando Santos (Portugal coach): “Our goal is not to draw, it’s to win. To achieve that we will have to be a very strong team in every phase of the game and improve on what we did against Hungary, and I think it is possible. (…) For us, it will be fundamental to have the ball and to have it in the opponent’s camp to force him to play further from our goal. “
Dias: “The match will see two teams with a dominant style of play. Obviously we know Germany well and we know what they are capable of and the players they have. But we also have our weapons. More than on the individual capacities of each team, it will be played on their preparation at the collective level. “
Mutual respect and admiration
Löw: “We expect an opponent as well established and as strong as France. They’ve been playing together since their 2016 title, it’s a mature team. The attack is not just Ronaldo, it is four, five others, all of whom have a talent, who are able to reverse a game. The French generally emerge vertically towards Mbappé, Portugal has more of a combination game, they do it incredibly well and are technically at the highest level. “
Dias: “We talk about France and Portugal as candidates (to win the Euro, editor’s note) but for me Germany is also on this list. “
Santos: “At the moment I think there is no team in Europe or in the world that thinks it will be easy to beat Portugal. From there to say that Portugal is much superior to Germany, no … They are a fantastic team individually and collectively. A domineering team that likes to have the ball, like a steamroller. “
Cristiano Ronaldo
Löw: “In the past, the whole game in Portugal went through Ronaldo, but now the team is much more complete. There are a lot of other offensive players who can make a difference. But it’s clear: Ronaldo can do a lot more than hide a bottle of cola. He can score goals. We must defend collectively against him. We know his ball calls, and that’s important. “
Santos: “Portugal is good for its collective. It’s very good for us to have Cristiano Ronaldo and we are very happy and very proud of that, but Cristiano cannot win games on his own. “
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