In the pre-match press conference for Portugal's UEFA Nations League home game against Norway, Bruno Fernandes discussed the team's adaptation to Jorge Jesus' tactical philosophy, his own position on the field, and the controversy surrounding Ronaldo. He stated that there is no division within the Portuguese team and called on fans not to take sides. This article is the second part of the press conference.

RTP reporter: After the match against Denmark in Copenhagen, I think all teammates who spoke to the media mentioned the new head coach's work without exception. This morning, we also heard the Norway coach say here that Portugal should currently be among the top three in European football. I want to ask, without any disrespect to the previous coach, do you feel happier in some way? Do you feel that the football you are playing now is more in line with what you truly want to play?

I've experienced this situation before. When the head coach changed from Fernando Santos to Martinez, I was asked the same question, exactly the same question. At that time, everyone said the atmosphere was more positive after the coaching change, and everything was more relaxed. Now it's the same again—more positive and relaxed after the coaching change.

I think every coach has their own way of working, and everyone is different. Some coaches' methods suit some players better than others. Some players get more playing time under one coach, and others get less. But what I can speak to is what comes next. I am very grateful to Fernando Santos because he was the first coach to call me up to the Portuguese national team. I am also very grateful to Martinez because he gave me many opportunities to play.

Likewise, I thank the coach sitting next to me. As I said, I was already familiar with his philosophy. But I think the most important thing for us right now is that everyone quickly understood and grasped these concepts and quickly responded to the demands made by the coach, especially on defense. This has always been the area where the coach spends more effort and personally provides detailed guidance.

On the defensive side, it's not just the backline, but also the pressing and how we want to press the opponent. The coach places particular emphasis on the backline, which is very important for our defensive approach. The backline's performance has also been very close to his requirements.

We have already seen the results of this work. There is still room for improvement, and there will always be room for improvement in every game. But the reality is that the players have adapted well, we are playing well, and the team is winning. I think when you're winning, it's always easier for everyone to say the team understands the coach's philosophy better.

Once the first defeat occurs, someone might say the coach's philosophy is wrong, or that the players didn't understand his philosophy well. So, I think the most important thing is to win games, understand the coach's ideas as much as possible, and then execute them on the field.

Newspaper reporter: Against Wales, you played more of a false winger role, operating in the inside left midfield area. But in your second game, the last one, you played more as a number 10 or second striker. I want to ask, what is the difference between these two positions for you? Also, how do you think Jorge Jesus' playing style can better bring out your qualities?

According to the coach's attacking demands, these two positions are actually very similar. Defensively, if my position is slightly deeper on the left, I need to press more on the outside, challenge the opposing full-back, and follow him when he runs deep.

When the ball is on the other side, I need to tuck into the center to help the midfielders and prevent the opponent from having numerical superiority in the middle. If I play in the position I did in the last game, I need to help the forwards more at the start of the press. Then, when the team drops deeper, I also become part of the three-man midfield, helping to close off the middle and prevent the opponent from building attacks there.

When we have the ball, as I just said, if I start from the left, I need to try to occupy the inside space, leaving room for our full-backs to use their strengths. Whether it's Nuno Mendes or Nuno Tavares, they are very good at pushing forward, they are very fast, and they excel operating along the flanks.

At the same time, I also need to be close to the midfielders, close to what the coach calls the number 10 and number 8 players, and also the second striker and center forward, so we can play one-twos, just like those that occurred in the match against Denmark. I think it's important for me to understand these runs and combinations. But more importantly, the team can clearly grasp these concepts and, in different games, can also adopt different ways to execute them to avoid making our playing style predictable. I think we have been able to do that.

CMTV reporter: We can clearly see that the Portuguese team is operating in an environment unaffected by external interference, because the response you give on the field leaves no other conclusion. As a Portuguese, I thank you for doing this. As a reporter, I want to ask: for the past few days, everyone has been talking about the same topic and nothing else. For example, by the third round, Portugal's points total was already equal to the sum of all their opponents' points combined, but such an achievement has not received the attention it deserves. How do each of you deal with this situation?

This is a very natural process. I'll be very frank with you: I know what you're referring to. We are already very used to this situation, we all know it. I have played with Ronaldo at the club, and most of us have also played with him on the Portuguese national team for a long time. We know how much media attention this brings, so it won't distract us from what we are doing.

We know that as a team, we are doing things well. This also includes Ronaldo, because he is part of the team. He played in the first game, not in the second and third games, but he played in the first.

We know that we are doing things well, and we know that we are in the process we should be in, moving in the direction we want to go. We are closer to our goal, and that is the most important thing. As a group, we need to understand that we should set aside any possible noise and truly focus on what matters most, which is what we do best—playing football on the field.

Because those things outside the field are not for us to deal with. What we need to manage is our own emotions and keep them stable when we step onto the field.

AF's PC site is now live! Browse full news, comments, match details and stats on your computer. Visit: www.allfootballapp.com