That Eder goal gave more than a trophy, it gave a title. It’s called respect (the France-Portugal chronicle) – Observer

10/12/2020 Portugal, World



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France, Paris, Stade de France. A test of the memory of the highest moment of Portuguese football. This was a special match for all the Portuguese who still do not forget that characteristic of Eder in the final of a European Championship that few or none believed possible to win before it started. But this was a particularly special match for Fernando Santos, who on the eve of this match celebrated his 66th birthday and who, exactly this Sunday six years ago, debuted on the same stage and against the same rival in charge of the National Team after his passing. for three “greats” of national football. The memories, of course, were not lacking.

Portugal draws in France without goals and maintains shared leadership in Group 3 of the Nations League

“The first memory I have is when I first sat on the bench as a coach and listened to the anthem as a representative of Portugal. The end [do Euro-2016] it will also always be present in our memory. But what will I feel tomorrow [hoje] it has nothing to do, it will be a different game. We want to play a good game and win. Revenge? That is outside what is football, “said the national coach at a press conference held remotely, due to the conditions caused by the pandemic. In fact, the points of contact with the duels of the past, whether in 2014 or 2016, ended there. And Fernando Santos even had the opportunity to detail the different aspects that changed in the Gauls, who were world champions in 2018.

“France in the last four years was not the same as France in the last three games in strategic terms. We analyze all this, emphasizing what we have to do: defensive process, offensive process, what to do when we have the ball. If we remove the DNA of what Portugal knows how to do, we will have difficulties. We have the humility to recognize the value of opponents and study them. We know what we have to do when we don’t have possession and all the freedom to create when we have the ball. We have to be on top at all times of the game, It is one thing to have respect and another to be servile. It will not be easy for both teams, ”he stressed.

In the players and in the way they play, France has changed. Or rather, it is still changing. In terms of players and the way they play, Portugal changes. On two levels. On the one hand, and contrary to what happened in 2014, today it is very difficult to win the national team. He may not always win, sometimes he also loses, but he has a competitiveness and approach to the game that makes Fernando Santos’ losses in official matches count on the fingers of one hand. On the other hand, and unlike what happened in 2016, the new options that arrived on the main set gave new technical and tactical capacity to address the commitments, mainly because there are more offensive solutions for the wing backs compared to the many solutions of the central back. that existed four years ago. And that too would have its weight in the starting team and in the plays throughout the game.

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France-Portugal, 0-0

3rd round of group 3 of League A of the Nations League

Stade de France, in Paris

Referee: Carlos del Cerro Grande (Spain)

France: Lloris; Pavard, Varane, Kimpembé, Hernandez; Kanté, Rabiot, Pogba; Griezmann, Mbappé (Coman, 84 ′) and Giroud (Martial, 74 ′)

Unused substitutes: Mandanda, Maignan, Lenglet, Digne, Upamecano, Mendy, Tolisso, Camavinga, Nzonzi and Ben Yedder

Picker: Didier deschamps

Portugal: Rui Patrício, Nélson Semedo, Pepe, Rúben Dias, Raphael Guerreiro (João Cancelo, 89 ′); Danilo, William Carvalho (João Moutinho, 88 ′), Bruno Fernandes (Renato Sanches, 80 ′); Bernardo Silva (Diogo Jota, 61 ′), João Félix (Trincão, 89 ′) and Cristiano Ronaldo

Unused substitutes: Bruno Varela, Rui Silva, Rúben Semedo, Sérgio Oliveira, Rúben Neves, André Silva and Podence

Picker: Fernando Santos

Disciplinary action: Yellow card for Rúben Dias (2 ′)

With elements such as Francisco Trincão, Diogo Jota, Daniel Podence or André Silva on the bench, alternatives that are emerging recently in the national team, Fernando Santos opted for the players who are usually part of his options but with a strategy in tactical terms that allowed a solid entry into the game (despite the yellow card in the second minute to Rúben Dias that immediately conditioned the central defender): Danilo was the most positioned midfielder in front of the defense and William Carvalho occupied the interior spaces of the midfield on the side where Cristiano Ronaldo was, with Bruno Fernandes as opposite Interior with João Félix or Bernardo Silva starting on the wing but making diagonal movements. In the first 15 minutes there was no shot on goal but Portugal managed two good approaches, with a cross from Semedo to defend Lloris and a great pass from Bruno Fernandes that Bernardo Silva could not receive in the area.

The break would come without goals and with a single shot framed by Griezmann’s goal, with almost no angle in the area for the defense of Rui Patrício (32 ′). On the Portuguese side, there was a providential cut by Lucas Hernández when Ronaldo was about to aim at the goal in the area, a shot by Nelson Semedo to the lateral meshes and a deflection by João Félix in a free kick at the near post that had passed to Danilo or Ronaldo could have a better ending. However, with more possession and better passing efficiency, Portugal managed to control the game for almost the entire first half, completely drying the Gallic construction area but also removing depth so that Mbappé can unbalance in speed. More than that, the idea that remained was that France today has much greater respect for playing against the national team. And if it is true that Eder’s goal was the most important in history because of the trophy he presented, that respect was the other title won since 2016.

The second part began with an affable conversation between Ronaldo and Mbappé (who when he was younger had posters of the Portuguese in his room) and it was the two forwards who had their first opportunities immediately: first the PSG player had an explosive run in the area that fell to the left but could not fool Rui Patrício who went out to do the “ spot ”(47 ′), Just two minutes later, the captain of the national team barely deflected a deflected center from Raphael Guerreiro to the far post. However, it was because of Griezmann’s placement closer to the midfielders to receive the ball with more space, or because of the advance of pressure just after leaving Portugal. France entered better and not only did it prevent the visitors from taking the ball to the last third, they also began to have more dangerous approaches to the national goal (although without a chance).

Fernando Santos exchanged Diogo Jota for Bernardo Silva trying to give another depth and speed to the attack that could also disguise some physical damage in Danilo and especially in William, but it took 70 minutes for a shot to hit the figure of João Félix (71 ′ ) and a goal canceled by Pepe in a free kick (74 ′) would put the French team in the direction again. The National Team also proved to be here today, which once again had two of the best in Pepe and Rui Patrício, looks different: When it was thought that France could abdicate a midfielder (Rabiot or Pogba) to launch another forward and try to win the game, there were only exchanges for exchanges; When it was thought that Portugal could abdicate one of the forward elements to strengthen the midfield, there were only trades for trades. And it was that “audacity” that almost gave the victory in the end, with Renato Sanches shooting hard from outside the area to defend Lloris (90 ′) before Ronaldo had the only chance of the match for another intervention by the French goalkeeper in a game started and “invented” by Trincão (90 + 1 ′).



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