Ahead of Portugal's away match against Norway in the UEFA Nations League, manager Jorge Jesus attended the pre-match press conference. He discussed Norway's high pressing, Bruno Fernandes' injury, whether Cristiano Ronaldo would start, and his considerations for Bernardo Silva in midfield. This is the first part of the press conference.

Jorge, let's talk about this match. You've had very little time to train with the team on the pitch, so I imagine you've spent a lot of time watching videos. Norway has actually made strong teams from around the world take notice; they haven't lost at home since March 2024. How have you prepared for this match, which will surely be difficult, and what are your thoughts?

As you said, this match will be difficult because Norway has quality both as a team and individually. They demonstrated that in the last World Cup. They have Haaland and Odegaard, a attacking duo that is perhaps one of the best in Europe at the moment. They also have some players we know from the Portuguese league. They have their strengths and undoubtedly quality, but so does Portugal.

Although the team has only trained with me for a short time, I have great confidence in what we can achieve tomorrow. One thing I can say with certainty: I'm not afraid of Norway at all, not one bit. The team I field will, in my view, prioritize attacking even more than defense.

Everyone talks about how to deal with Haaland. In the last match, you used Rúben Dias and Renato Veiga, two centre-backs with excellent physical attributes. First, will they start again tomorrow? Also, Rúben trains with Haaland every day and knows him very well. Have you spoken with him about this? Did he offer any advice to the team?

Not yet. So far, we've focused mainly on reviewing the previous match against Wales, analyzing what went well and what didn't. After we do our indoor analysis, we'll discuss Norway, especially after returning to the hotel today.

Norway has a clear style of play. They are physically strong, excellent in aerial duels, and also technically very good, with many talented players. Of course, Portugal also has talented players. However, what concerns me most isn't these characteristics, but their defensive approach.

They press continuously, run relentlessly, and move very quickly when defending. I want my team to play that way too. We must be prepared for their pressure, otherwise we'll lose a lot of possession when building from the back. That's currently the aspect of the match that concerns me most.

Norway's manager just said he expected his team to be more fatigued, but the actual situation is better than expected, so he'll make fewer personnel changes than planned. I'd like to know, regardless of Portugal's performance against Wales, have you already decided your starting eleven for this match? Or has the better-than-expected physical condition of the players after that match also prompted you to consider fewer changes?

That's a very interesting question. As coaches, we can have ideas before a match, but after it's played, we can be more certain about the players' condition. Norway played Denmark and we played Wales.

At the start of the match against Wales, almost all our players were in physical condition to play; but after the match, Bruno Fernandes' injury became quite a delicate matter. We have to wait until tomorrow to see how the situation develops.

Also, tomorrow is the third day after the match. From my experience as a coach, from a physical recovery perspective, not all players recover by the third day. This is true for Norway and also for Portugal. I'll pay special attention to which players still haven't recovered. But it's not just about who hasn't recovered; it's also about whether the players who can replace them can offer equally reliable performances. I'll make my decisions based on this tomorrow.

Can Portugal's national team meet external expectations?

This relates to the coach's philosophy. I have my own ideas about the game, and I mentioned it when answering another journalist's question earlier. We all know Norway's attack is strong, but I won't choose players purely for defensive reasons just because their attack is strong. Quite the opposite: their attack is threatening, and I want our attack to be threatening too. I'll approach the match with this principle tomorrow.

Strictly speaking, today's session isn't a training session, but we'll go out on the pitch. I'll be able to gather information from it to see if individual players have recovered physically. By "recovered," I mean less fatigued. However, today is only the second day after the match, which is usually the most physically uncomfortable day, so it's still hard to know for certain. My basic idea is not to fear Norway. But "fear" might not be the most precise word. What I mean is that I know Norway is strong and has excellent players; but as a coach, I also know I'm managing a strong team with equally excellent players.

In the last match, you said you substituted Rúben Neves because the game required the team to play more aggressively, so you brought on João Palhinha. Tomorrow's match seems to involve more physical confrontations. Will Palhinha start? Also, do you consider Erling Haaland the best striker currently?

Are you asking me if João will start, or are you telling me? You know, Rúben Neves worked with me over the last two years, and I know him very well.

Everyone is currently in the early part of the season. In the last match, I could notice when he wasn't quite as sharp, when he started to tire a bit. He has a particular way of running, and once I see it, I know his reaction speed and defensive movement speed begin to decline. I won't go into details about what that running looks like. In attack, he can almost play at a slower pace. It was precisely because I saw these things that I brought on Palhinha.

As for Haaland, in my opinion, he's currently not only in excellent physical condition but also technically very mature. But it depends on what area you're talking about. In the penalty area, he's truly exceptional; outside the area, you can't say he's equally outstanding in all aspects, though he is very quick. Currently, in the penalty area, Osimhen and Haaland are the two strongest strikers in my opinion.

You mentioned Bruno Fernandes' physical condition earlier. Is his availability for tomorrow a concern for you now? Also, please inform us about Nuno Mendes' situation. He was substituted in the match against Wales; how is his recovery progressing?

The medical team indicated that the situations of these two players require the utmost attention. One of them, Nuno Mendes, can play in the match. The other is Bruno, and it depends on his treatment between today and tomorrow, and whether he can use this time to recover.

Bruno arrived here from Manchester United with an injury. He told me he's been playing through pain for the last three matches. This is one of the reasons he didn't perform to his normal level against Wales. I coached him before and know him very well, and I've already spoken with him. For me, I'd prefer not to risk using Bruno in this match, so he can be in better physical condition for the match against Denmark.

Traducido por IA.

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