Roberto Martinez shared his thoughts ahead of Portugal's Nations League semifinal clash with Germany. The Portuguese head coach emphasized respect for their opponents while maintaining confidence in his team's abilities for the away fixture.
"It's not just about Portugal, but also about how well Germany plays. They take risks. It's not about individual players but the team – they press, but if you look at the statistics, both teams are very similar, and I think this will be a good match to show what we're capable of," – Martinez told UEFA's press service.
The Portuguese squad faces an additional challenge playing away from home. Martinez knows this won't be easy. His team has studied their opponents thoroughly and understands what they're up against.
According to Statbet, both teams have shown similar defensive solidity throughout the tournament, making this semifinal particularly unpredictable.
"We respect our opponent very much, and playing away is an additional challenge. We want to play at the highest level to get a good result away from home. We know Germany very well. We know the team. Nagelsmann doesn't favor individual players – some have specific skills, but he focuses on the team," – the Portuguese coach added.
Martinez also acknowledged that facing Julian Nagelsmann's squad represents "the highest challenge" for Portugal. Despite this, his team is determined to secure a victory.
The Germany-Portugal match kicks off today, June 4, at 10:00 PM Kyiv time. Can the Portuguese overcome the home advantage factor and advance to the final? We'll know in just a few hours.
