Ahead of the UEFA Nations League match against Norway, manager Jorge Jesus attended a pre-match press conference. He discussed Norway's high press, Bruno Fernandes' injury, Cristiano Ronaldo's starting role, and Bernardo Silva's midfield deployment. This is the first part of the press conference.

Jorge, tell us about this match. Given that you've had almost no training time with the team, you've likely spent considerable time on video analysis. Norway is watched by world's top teams and haven't lost at home since March 2024. This will undoubtedly be a very difficult match. How are you preparing and how do you view this fixture?

You're right, Norway will be a difficult opponent because they have quality players both as a team and individually. They proved that in the last World Cup. They have Erling Haaland and Okafor, who are likely one of the best attacking combinations currently in Europe. Additionally, they have several players known from the Portuguese league. They have strengths and quality, but Portugal has the same.

The team has had almost no training time with me, but I have great confidence in what we can achieve tomorrow. One thing is certain: I am not afraid of Norway at all. In my view, the team I select will prioritize attack over defense.

Everyone is talking about how to deal with Haaland. In the last match, you deployed two center-backs with excellent physical attributes: Ruben Dias and Renato Veiga. First, will they start tomorrow? Also, Ruben trains with Haaland every day and knows him well. Have you discussed this with him? Has he offered any advice to the team?

Not yet. So far, we've mainly focused on the Wales match, reviewing what went well and what didn't. We'll discuss Norway starting with our next video analysis session, especially after we return to the hotel today.

Norway's playing style is very clear. They are physically strong, excel in aerial duels, are technically skilled, and have many talented players. Of course, Portugal also has talented players. But what concerns me most is not these characteristics—it's their defensive approach.

They press relentlessly, run tirelessly, and move very quickly when defending. I want my team to play like that as well. If we're not prepared for their press, we'll lose many balls during build-up. This is currently the match aspect that concerns me most.

Norway's manager said his team expected to be more fatigued, but the situation is actually better than anticipated, so he'll make fewer substitutions than planned. Regardless of Portugal's condition after the Wales match, have you already decided on tomorrow's starting XI, or are you also considering making fewer substitutions because the players' physical condition was better than expected?

That's a very interesting question. As a manager, I can have some thoughts before a match, but I can only be more confident about players' condition after the match is played. Norway played Denmark, and we played Wales.

At the start of the Wales match, almost all our players had enough physical energy to play. However, after the match, Bruno Fernandes' injury became quite a troubling issue. We'll have to wait and see tomorrow's situation.

Additionally, tomorrow will be the third day after the match. From my managerial experience, not all players fully recover by the third day from a physical recovery perspective. This applies to Norway as well as Portugal. I'll pay special attention to which players haven't fully recovered. But it's not just about players who haven't recovered—it's also important whether the players who can replace them can deliver equally reliable performances. I'll make my decisions tomorrow based on this.

Can Portugal meet external expectations?

This relates to managerial philosophy. I have my own thoughts about the match, which I've touched on with other journalists. Everyone knows Norway's attack is strong, but because their attack is strong doesn't mean I'll select players from a purely defensive perspective. Quite the opposite. Their attack is a threat, and I want our attack to be threatening as well. Tomorrow, I'll approach the match with this principle.

Today's session is not strictly a training session, but we'll get on the pitch. From that, I can gather information from various indicators about whether individual players have recovered physically. By "recovered," I mean they have less fatigue. However, today is still only the second day after the match, and it's typically the most physically demanding day, so it's difficult to make a complete assessment at this point. My fundamental belief is that I'm not afraid of Norway. But "afraid" might not be the most accurate word. What I mean is: I know Norway is strong and has excellent players, but as a manager, I also know that I'm leading a strong team with excellent players.

In the last match, you said you substituted Ruben Neves for João Palhinha because the team needed to play more aggressively. Tomorrow's match is expected to be more physical. Will Palhinha start? And do you think Erling Haaland is currently the best striker?

Are you asking whether João will start, or are you saying he will start? Ruben Neves has worked with me for the past two years, and I know him very well.

Everyone is currently at the early stage of the season. In the last match, I noticed when he was lacking agility and starting to tire a bit. He has a particular running pattern, and when I see it, I can tell his defensive reaction speed and movement speed are beginning to slow. I won't elaborate on what that particular running pattern looks like. In attack, he can mostly play at a slower pace. Because I saw these things, I brought on Palhinha.

As for Haaland, in my opinion, he's not only physically excellent but also very technically mature. But it depends on which area we're talking about. Inside the penalty area, he's certainly excellent. Outside the penalty area, while he's also very fast, he's not equally strong in every aspect. Currently, inside the penalty area, I believe Osimhen and Haaland are the two strongest strikers.

You mentioned Bruno Fernandes' condition earlier. Is his availability for tomorrow a concern for you right now? Can you also speak about Nuno Mendes' situation? He was substituted in the Wales match—how is his recovery progressing?

According to the medical team, these two players require the most attention. One of them, Nuno Mendes, will be available to play. The other is Bruno, and it depends on treatment from today until tomorrow and whether he can recover during this time.

Bruno arrived carrying an injury from Manchester United. He told me he's been playing in pain for about the last three matches. This is one reason why he couldn't perform at his usual level in the Wales match. I've coached him before and know him well, and I've already spoken with him. As far as I'm concerned, I want to avoid the risk of using Bruno in this match and have him in better condition for the Denmark match.

AI翻訳。

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