What was the game plan of the Portuguese anyway, we did not understand?

From our special correspondent in Munich,

Seeing the reactions of spite of some of our friends / colleagues after the rousing received by their Portuguese selection against Germany, Saturday, at the Allianz Arena, we say to ourselves that it would not be necessary to push much for the divorce is definitely consumed between the fans of the Seleção and their coach Fernando Santos, even though the latter brought home his first title in history in 2016. Football is rarely embarrassed by business of feelings, it is well known.

And then it must be said what is, his game plan on Saturday was at least as illegible as a doctor’s prescription written with a blindfold. After the match, he was also more fatalistic than disappointed, as if it was perfectly normal for his reigning European champion team to be opened up everywhere by a Mannschaft in search of a rebound.

We will take 6 or 7, finish worse 3rd and maybe the federation will move a finger and send the wreckage that we use as a trainer in Ehpad

– William Pereira (@WillyTheKiid) June 19, 2021

“Germany are one of the best teams in the world and I don’t know which team can come here and think they are going to win [on lui dit ou pas ?] », He blurted into the microphone of Portuguese television TVI24. We have known more ambitious speeches to remobilize his troops, you will agree, especially from a coach who has at his disposal one of the most flashy staff of this Euro 2021. Looking at the names on the sheet by Fernando Santos in all lines, frankly, there is something to tinker with. The problem is that we did not fully understand what the guy had wanted to put in place with his players on Saturday.

A sinking defense, Semedo captain of the shipwreck

Caught in the throat of entry, Cristiano Ronaldo’s teammates seemed totally lost on the field, chaining technical approximations and bad choices in transmissions, except on this class counter at the origin of the opening of the score of CR7. Before and after that, however, nothing, a total blackout. “We started well by scoring the first goal but Germany was superior,” said Bruno Fernandes in the mixed zone. We felt a lot of difficulties and we were never able to master the game ”.

Failing to play the game, with a goal in advance, we said at least that Portugal would try to rely on its solid defense, including the excellent Ruben Dias, irreproachable this season on the side of City. But it is mainly in this area that the executioners of the Blues in 2016 sank, like a Nelson Semedo completely overwhelmed by Robin Gosens throughout the meeting. “We lost the Euro from the package [pour cause de Covid] de Cancelo ”, our friend William Pereira, doctor es Portugal of the sports department of 20 minutes, from his airbnb in Budapest.

Expected reaction to France

The first two German goals came from his side (the next two also in fact). And if Fernando Santos did not ardently defend the former Barça side – “When the opposing left side is systematically in a position to do what he has done, something is wrong” – it is well he who waited to take a third pawn when he returned from the locker room to ask Renato Sanches (who entered the break instead of Bernardo Silva) if, possibly, he did not want to come and give a hand to his little friend in perdition. For an equally disastrous result: “We changed our strategy but we took the fourth goal in the same way”. There are days like that…

Diogo Jota’s reduction in the lead, followed by a Sanches scud on the post late in the game, could have given this team some hope, but the heart was not there anyway. After an already not very exciting first match in terms of play, if we put aside the last ten minutes of quality which allowed them to slam three goals for the Hungarians, the Portuguese are therefore advancing towards “the final against France. », Says Jota, with too little certainty and a lot of unanswered questions. It’s more or less the same for the Blues after the match against Hungary, at least there will be no jealousy.