Star midfielder Bruno Fernandes has warned Slovenia that Portugal will try their best to “hurt” them when they meet in the Round of 16 of the 2024 European Championship (EURO 2024). The Manchester United superstar also dismissed suggestions of a burnout, claiming he cherished playing as many matches for club and country.
Portugal Star Bruno Fernandes Warns Slovenia Ahead Of EURO 2024 Clash
Portugal, who topped Group F with six points, will face Slovenia, who came third in Group C with three points, in the Round of 16 of EURO 2024 on Monday night (July 1). The two nations have met once in history, with it coming in March 2024. Slovenia sprung an upset over Os Navegadores in that game, claiming a 2-0 victory.
Portugal are well aware of what Slovenia can do, and this time, they will try their best to spoil the underdogs’ plans. Speaking ahead of the EURO 2024 Round-of-16 meeting, Fernandes declared his team will switch things up to try and hurt Slovenia. He said (via The Mirror):
“This team has very high-quality players, and we respect them. We had this friendly where they beat us, and this has to put us on our toes.
“We have an idea of what we can do. I didn’t play in the friendly but I have watched the game, and we have spoken about the game in recent days. It’s good for us to have the images from that game. They had a great game, but we’ve had a chance to see what we can do differently to hurt them.”
Fernandes Shoots Down Burnout Rumors, Says He Is Happy To Play
Fernandes sat out Portugal’s final Group F game, which ended in a 2-0 defeat to Georgia. Some reports suggested that Fernandes was running on fumes and hence needed to take a break. The 29-year-old, however, dismissed burnout rumors, claiming he lived for the constant competition.
Fernandes added:
“I enjoy the constant competition. Sometimes I’ll ask the technical staff how to find the right balance and be at my best. But I like to compete, and if I play a competitive game every three days I feel I am more prepared mentally and physically for the hardships of every game. Also my love for this beautiful game helps me always be ready to play for my national team or club.”
If Portugal manage to beat Slovenia in the Round of 16, they will face either France or Belgium in the quarter-finals of EURO 2024.
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