A very large group but with a new twist, Roberto Martinez's approach pleases the Portuguese: “It's very clever of him”

Except that his selection of 32 names is still constructed differently. “There are three groups. Players who can participate in the two matches, then one group for the first and another for the second.”He explained that, for example, eight players, including Cristiano Ronaldo, Joao Cancelo or Joao Felix, would not be called up for the first match on Thursday against Sweden. The latter will join the group on Friday while the others will be able to return home and will not face Slovenia on Tuesday.

So the idea is to see all the players one last time and test some new ones, avoiding overload depending on the situation of each player. “We need the information to have a balanced team with the best characteristics for the Euros. Everyone will have the opportunity to show what they can give to the national team. But March is a very difficult time for the players, there are a lot of games and mental fatigue and you have to deal with that.”

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This method is obviously welcome for players who already have more than 30 matches under their belt. “We are at a stage of the season where there are still a lot of games to gobelieves, for example, Bruno Fernandes (Manchester United). There are injuries and their severity is always high. He's very smart for a coach. “He manages things while maintaining ambition.”

“It's good to have a few days to relax and forget about footballagrees Bernardo Silva (Manchester City), who will be released after Thursday's match. It's nice to rest so we don't arrive at the Euro emotionally exhausted. I'm sure it will help us a lot to go there in the best conditions and fight to help Portugal compete for the title.

Therefore, Roberto Martinez continues to score points in his new position, having achieved a historic 30 points out of 30 and gaining the trust of all the group's executives. “He is a modern coach, he likes to play attacking footballJoao Cancelo (Barcelona) was delighted in an interview with RTP. He learned Portuguese very quickly to speak the language with us. “It was important because he won the group because of that.”

And also thanks to his highly regarded tactical style. “He knows every player exactly.” Cancelo confirms, followed by Bruno Fernandes, who became the reference behind the attack. “It gives a lot of freedom. I can be more in the game, have more balls, and I can change the dynamic. In short, all is rosy at the moment in Martinez's Seleção, which will have more than just an outsider in Germany, in Ronaldo's last major tournament.

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