Portugal’s coach Martinez says the team needs to be prepared to take criticism

Roberto Martinez, the manager of Portugal, stated on Wednesday that he recognizes the criticism directed at his team following Euro 2024 and that, given their quality roster, high expectations are reasonable.

Martinez stated that his team will be stronger as a result of their penalty shootout loss to France in the Euro quarterfinals, as Portugal gets ready to host Croatia in their Nations League opener on Thursday before welcoming Scotland in League A Group One on Sunday.

“We will always have demands, and criticism is one of them. However, Martinez stated during a press conference on Wednesday that “the internal demands are even stronger than the demands of the fans.”

“We always want to win, but the world’s finest players compete in the major events, so small things really matter in games. Usually, the detail is a penalty when the ball enters or exits the court.

“Against France, we played with poise, demonstrated character, and developed greatly as a unit. I thought our character was pretty great, but the gang was ready for two more games. We performed admirably in a lot of areas.”

After a goalless stalemate that summed up Portugal’s poor campaign, Martinez stated his players had the experience to handle the pressure and move on from the heartbreaking shootout loss. Portugal struggled to be productive up front.

The supporters should anticipate a more aggressive side than what they saw in Germany, according to the Spanish manager, who stated that his primary goal was to position his team around their attack.

“We’re eager to return to the playing field. “(The supporters) should anticipate watching a Portuguese football team that plays an attacking brand of football, loaded with enthusiasm and drive,” Martinez stated.

“We want to play attacking, and Croatia is a team that enjoys possession of the ball, so tomorrow’s test could be fascinating. There will be a ball-battle between two squads.

Portugal is eager to return to the field and will have high goals in mind. Our goal is to make our fans happy once more. I am aware of my players’ abilities, but they have amazing personalities and attitudes.