Jorge Braz, national futsal coach, stressed this Sunday that Portuguese players must be “highly ambitious” in the World Cup quarter-final match against Spain, which remains “the most organized team that exists”.
“Achieving goals and surpassing ourselves depends on courage and ambition. When someone wants to put a lot of pressure on us, it’s about not being intimidated and going forward. We have to be extremely rational, but highly ambitious. To pursue the goal, we have to pass this stage and we have the ambition to pass it “, said the national coach in the preview of the match this Monday at 15.30, in Vilnius, capital of Lithuania.
Jorge Braz warned the Spanish organization, but assured that Portugal knows how to counteract, making the contrary will to dominate the game an advantage. “They changed players and there were no readjustments, but they are still the most organized team there is and they know very well what to do at every moment of the game. The label they’re trying to put on that it’s no longer Spain is completely misleading.” he said .
However, Jorge Braz considers that the fact that the Spaniards are “dominating in every game situation” turns out to be a disadvantage, which the Portuguese want to take advantage of: “When we are too greedy, sometimes things go wrong. We know very well how to change that and make it an advantage for us.”
The final of the 2018 European Championship, in Slovenia, which Portugal won 3-2, after extra time, “is past”, said Jorge Braz, saying that since that time, a “refine and build, with other players, has been identified. younger, who brought irreverence.” “We have highly creative people, who see short and momentary things and who open space. It is important, but the plan and simple things well done are very important. If we all perform our duties well, we are a very strong team,” he stressed.
Despite the history of clashes being tremendously unfavorable to the European champions, who, in 29 meetings with the Spaniards, have won just two, drawn four and lost 23, the 49-year-old coach exploded with confidence in the Portuguese team. “I trust a lot in our team and in what each one has done so far. The present is built with what we work. If we believe in this a lot, generally things fall more to our side. With function and organization, things will work. “he concluded.
Baby ready for defender what to need
Goalkeeper Bebé said he is ready to help the Portuguese futsal team with the defenses they needed before against Spain. “Both I, like Vítor Hugo and André Sousa, are prepared. If we have to make 20 saves or two, so be it. The most important thing is to be prepared to help the team in whatever way we can,” he said.
In anticipation of the rerun of the 2018 European final, played in Slovenia, which ended with a 3-2 victory for the Portuguese team, after extra time, Bebé said he believes the Spanish are still “a little angry” for this defeat still ” fresh in their minds, “but pointed to concentration on what Portugal can control.
“The important thing is not to focus on the past, but on the future and the present, which is what we control. [de Espanha] it’s new, some new players and we’ll have to be prepared for what we’ll find. If we focus on what we control, we will be closer to winning,” said the 38-year-old.
Bebé noted some differences in Spain’s characteristics since the 2018 game, especially “some strategic peculiarities” that compel Portugal’s attention, “both offensively and defensively”, although Spain is well known.
“They have some dangerous players. Raúl Campos, who we know well, Chino, who finishes very well, the most mobile center himself, Raúl Gómez. They have several solutions and we know that there are very strong players to finish, but we will be prepared.” he stressed.
After a long career, with three World Cups and four European Championships disputed, the goalkeeper representing Leões de Porto Salvo has been chosen as a starter in the ‘quinas’ team, having said that he is “in the clouds”: “I would say that this it’s the final stage that I’m enjoying the most, having a lot of fun and enjoying each day to the full”.
Portugal and Spain face each other at 17.30 (15.30 in Lisbon) on Monday, in a match counting for the quarter-finals of the Futsal World Cup, at Vilnius Arena, in the Lithuanian capital. The winner of the match will face Iran or Kazakhstan in the semi-finals.