The Portuguese national team will host Norway in the fourth round of the UEFA Nations League. Ahead of the match, head coach Jorge Jesus attended a press conference where he discussed topics including Ronaldo, player fitness, and preparations for the Norway match. Below is the first part of the press conference.

We are live on Canal 11. You said Portugal played an average first game, a slightly better second game, and an excellent third game. I want to ask: what are your expectations for the fourth game against Norway? What kind of performance do you want to see from the team?

What do I want, and what do I expect? I hope we can win, which would basically secure our qualification for the quarterfinals. If we can also deliver the kind of performance we showed against Denmark in Copenhagen, that would be even better. We played exceptionally well in that match, with many segments demonstrating high quality, thanks to the excellent individual abilities of our Portuguese players.

These are the two things I most want to see. However, in football, what we want doesn't always come true. We can think that way, but sometimes it just doesn't happen in certain matches. That's my expectation. I hope Portugal can win and secure qualification directly in our own country. That's what I most want to achieve.

SIC reporter: Hello, coach. I know you only want to talk about Cristiano Ronaldo's situation after the game, but I want to ask if you are willing to reconcile with the Portuguese team captain?

But how do you know I'm waiting until after the game to talk? I haven't said anything.

So, are you willing to talk to us now about what happened between you and Cristiano Ronaldo?

No, of course not. The focus must be on the Portuguese team; everything should prioritize the Portuguese team. And Norway, because Norway is our opponent in this match. We need to focus on doing our job well, and we hope our people stand with us, working for the same flag and the same goal.

However, this does not mean I can ignore Ronaldo, nor can you ignore him. Ronaldo is a symbol of the Portuguese team and a symbol of Portugal. This must be made clear. As for your question, we will have plenty of time to talk about it after the game.

Sport TV reporter: Your team has some experienced players, and one of them is sitting next to you (Bruno Fernandes), but there are also young players. These days, the whole world is watching the Portuguese team, but for reasons that are not entirely positive. How are you handling the impact of such public opinion? What role have the experienced players played? Also, over the past twenty-four hours, the topic of "reconciliation" has surrounded the team. For you, is this something that doesn't even need to be discussed because you obviously want to reconcile? Or do both sides need to reach some kind of consensus first?

No. For now, I will continue to focus on what I just said—concentrating on the team and the opponent. In my opinion, Norway is one of the top five teams in Europe and has very talented players. You know this as well as I do. So we must stay focused; that is the issue at hand.

Afterwards, we will all have time to analyze what might happen next. Regarding the young players—new players for Portugal—you're talking about players, right?

Regarding Portugal's young players, we still have two more games, and everything might be different then. But the premise is that we must first secure qualification tomorrow.

RTP reporter: When you answered the first question, you talked about hoping to secure qualification at Estádio do Dragão. I want to ask: what kind of support and affection do you hope to receive from the stands tomorrow? Also, have you been in contact with Portuguese team captain Cristiano Ronaldo in recent days?

The support and affection I hope to receive should all revolve around what the Portuguese team represents. This support should be for the team, for the players, not specifically for me personally. I am part of the team, a component of the team, and also the leader of the team.

So this also involves the fans' support and affection for their country, for our country. Before becoming the head coach of the Portuguese team, I was also a die-hard fan, a very passionate fan of the Portuguese team. I don't focus on who the coach is, nor on specific players. I focus on my flag, my country, and that's what I want to see. I don't want to set myself apart; I want to always be part of the Portuguese team.

CMTV reporter: You have repeatedly said that Cristiano Ronaldo has his status. You are also a coach with status, and you may be starting to leave your own mark on the Portuguese team. I want to ask if your status also allows you to truly say what you want to say about this matter? In addition, the World Cup is coming up, and Portugal will very likely participate under your leadership. Cristiano Ronaldo could have, and even should have, been an ambassador for that World Cup. Will this incident affect that arrangement?

Look, I will not deviate from the current focus. You have asked me several questions, and I understand that asking questions is a journalist's job. But we're already talking about 2030, which is four years away. Football moves forward day by day, not even month by month, but day by day, game by game.

Tomorrow's game is the most important—the one against Norway. Both teams will play with high quality, and the match will be very intense. That's all I want to talk about. There's no need to shift the focus elsewhere, because the current issue is called Norway.

Coach, hello. I'm Rafael Fernandes from A Bola. Regarding tomorrow's game, you've made some adjustments before each match. I want to ask about João Felix and Francisco Conceição. Can they be options for you tomorrow?

Yes, that's correct. Usually, we adjust a maximum of four players per game, at least for the first three games. This doesn't mean I can't adjust a fifth player. Everything depends on the players' physical condition and what they show me.

This is our fourth game. Players who have played more minutes are starting to feel the accumulated fatigue and face an increased risk of injury. Not just now, and not just Portuguese players, but players from other teams as well. They cannot maintain the same physical condition.

So tomorrow we will rotate some players with heavy workloads. As for the players who have recovered, João Felix has recovered, I believe. Why do I say "I believe"? Because we still have one training session today. This session will give me a better understanding of João Felix and Francisco Conceição's condition.

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