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The Milan player attributes the team’s winning start to the European Under-21 Championship to the attitude.
Footballer Diogo Dalot on Tuesday attributed the Portuguese Under-21 team’s victorious trajectory in the category’s European Championship to competitive attitude on and off the pitch, aiming for a place in the knockout round.
“It has to do with what we do every day in training and the behavior we have when facing this competition as it should be faced. They are characteristics of our team and our players. We have done our job since we are competing and I want to finish the game. In a better way “, stressed the defender, in an interview with the Lusa agency.
Isolated leaders of Group D, with six points, thanks to the triumphs over Croatia (1-0) and England (2-0), the Portuguese will face Switzerland on Wednesday, at 6:00 p.m. local time (5:00 p.m. in Lisbon), at the Stozice. Stadium, in Ljubljana, with refereeing by the Swede Glenn Nyberg.
“It will be a match in the image of what these first two games were: difficult and against a strong team, which is also in the fight for qualification. We will face it in the same way as these two games, to win with the maximum attitude and Only then can we repeat what we did in these two games, “Diogo Dalot appealed.
A draw guarantees victory in the pool and entry to the next stage, which can also be confirmed by a defeat by one goal to the Swiss, except 1-0 or 2-1, or if Croatia does not beat England at the same time , in Koper, also in Slovenia.
“Relaxation? No, mainly because it is not guaranteed and, even if it were, we would not accept this type of behavior. It will not be the image we want to show at all and we will show it. We are candidates to win the next game and Switzerland is the only one. It’s no use thinking ahead because we haven’t got there yet, “he said.
Since Sunday’s triumph over the English, with goals from Dany Mota and Francisco Trincão, from the penalty spot, in the second half, Diogo Dalot was convinced that Portugal “grew not only in relation to the first match, but during that match. “.
“We made an almost perfect second half against what was our intention for the game. We also managed to improve the aspects that we should have improved in relation to the first half and consolidating them with the two goals we scored was perfect,” he added. the defender, starter on the left side of the defense in the first two rounds.
Convinced that individual performance “is the same” in any band, Diogo Dalot assures that “the Portuguese player has shown a lot of quality” in the first stage of the European Under-21 Championship, either “on the field or in the road prepares for the game. “
“Exposing our football and having confidence in ourselves has been fundamental. We are a team that likes to be prepared for all adversities on the field. So we have the quality to have the ball and defend when we have to.” . It is a cluster of situations that we want to improve to win more games ”, he pointed out.
Italian Milan won the European Under-17 Championship in 2016, and explains that the greatest expectation for the Under-19 title in 2018, “is managed with motivation and just has to give a little more responsibility” in the Under-19 tournament. twenty-one.
“For many of us it is the last selection moment before AA. We have a great opportunity to show our value and make the most of it while we are here, because it is something unique and there are many players who would like to be in our position. achievement Without a doubt, it would be something fantastic, but it is not something that consumes us every day, because it is not yet time to think about it, “he observed.
Diogo Dalot, 22, praises the “connection created for years” in the youth teams and hopes that Rui Jorge’s students will be able to continue it with the Fernando Santos team, fulfilling the objective of “serving the country and the jersey of the National selection”. “.
“We are making life more and more complicated for coaches and clubs, but this is a great sign and it means that the Portuguese player is playing a very important role in national and international football. To see great players leave the country for the big stages is which gives us more reasons to be proud and I hope that he also gives them to all the Portuguese. I hope that in the near future we can have many more success stories, “he concluded.
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