At a press conference ahead of Portugal's UEFA Nations League group stage match against Norway, Bruno Fernandes discussed the team's adaptation to Jorge Jesus's tactical philosophy, his own position on the pitch, and the ongoing debate surrounding Ronaldo. He stated there is no division within the Portuguese national team and called on supporters to stop taking sides. This article is part two of the press conference.

Other parts of the press conference

Bruno Fernandes: Ronaldo Deserves Respect; There Is No Division in the Portuguese Squad, Stop Taking Sides

Bruno Fernandes: Hojlund Idolized Ronaldo Since Childhood; I'm Proud to See Him Copying the "Siu" Celebration

RTP Reporter: After the match against Denmark in Copenhagen, I believe every teammate who spoke to the media—without exception—mentioned the work of the new head coach. This morning, we also heard Norway's coach say that Portugal should now be among Europe's top three football nations. My question is, with no disrespect to the previous coach, do you feel happier in some way? Do you feel the football you're playing now aligns better with the football you actually want to play?

I've been through this situation before. When the head coach changed from Fernando Santos to Martinez, I was asked that exact question, word for word. Back then, everyone said the atmosphere was more positive after the coaching change, and everything felt more comfortable. It's the same now—more positive and comfortable after the change.

I think every coach has their own working style; each is different. Some of a coach's methods suit certain players better, and suit others less. Some players play more under one coach, others play less. But what I can say is what happens next. I'm very grateful to Fernando Santos because he was the first coach to call me up to the Portuguese national team. I'm also very grateful to Martinez because he's given me plenty of opportunities to play.

Similarly, I'm also grateful to the coach sitting next to me. As I've said, I already knew his philosophy beforehand. But I think what's most important for us now is for everyone to quickly understand and grasp these ideas, and quickly meet the demands the coach sets, especially on the defensive side. This is always the area where the coach puts in considerable effort and personally provides detailed guidance.

On the defensive level, it's not just the back line, but also pressing, and how we want to press the opposition. The coach pays special attention to the defensive line, which is crucial to our defensive approach. The back line's performance has already come very close to meeting his requirements.

We've seen the results of this work. There are still areas that need improvement, and there will always be areas to improve in every match. But the fact is that the players have adapted well, we're playing well, and the team is winning. I think when you're winning, it's always easy for people to say that the team understands the coach's philosophy better.

Once the first defeat comes, people might say the coach's philosophy is wrong, or the players don't understand it. So I think what matters most is winning matches, understanding the coach's ideas as much as possible, and then implementing them on the pitch.

A Bola Reporter: In the match against Wales, you played more as a left-sided attacking midfielder, operating deeper in midfield. But in the most recent match, you played more as a number 10 or second striker. What's the difference between these two positions for you? Also, how do you think Jorge Jesus's style of play could better utilize your strengths?

According to the coach's attacking demands, these two positions are actually quite similar. Defensively, if I'm positioned slightly deeper on the left wing, I need to press higher up, putting pressure on the opposing fullback and tracking him when he moves forward.

When the ball is on the other side, I need to tuck inside to help the midfielders, preventing the opposition from having a numerical advantage in the center. If I play in the position I did in the most recent match, I need to help the forwards more in the initial pressing phase. Later, when the team sits deeper, I also become part of a three-man midfield, helping shield the center and preventing the opposition from building attacks there.

When we have the ball, as I just mentioned, if I start from the left wing, I need to try to occupy the interior space, leaving room for our fullbacks—whether that's Nuno Mendes or Nuno Tavares—to use their strengths. Both are excellent at pushing forward, they're quick, and they're skilled at operating down the wing.

At the same time, I also need to stay close to the midfielders, close to the number 10s and number 8s the coach designates, as well as the second striker and center forward, so we can play one-touch combinations, like what we saw in the Denmark match. I think what's important is that I understand these movement patterns and passing combinations. More importantly, the team needs to master these ideas and be able to execute them in different ways in different matches, to prevent our play from becoming predictable. I think we've done that.

CMTV Reporter: It's clear that the Portuguese national team is operating in an environment unaffected by outside interference, judging by how you've reacted on the pitch. As a Portuguese person, I thank you for achieving this. As a journalist, I'd like to ask: in recent days, everyone has been talking about the same topic, and nothing else has been discussed. For example, by the third round, Portugal's total points equaled the combined total of all opponents, but this fact hasn't received the attention it deserves. How are each of you dealing with this situation?

This is a very natural process. I'll be honest with you—I know what you're alluding to. We're very familiar with this situation; we all know about it. I've played with him at club level at Manchester United, and most of us have also played with him on the Portuguese national team for a long time. We're aware of the media attention this brings, so it won't distract us from what we're doing.

We know that, as a team, we're doing everything well. This includes him too, because he's part of the team. He played in the first match, not the second and third, but he played in the first.

We know we're doing everything well, and we know we're heading in the right direction. We're getting closer to our goal, and that's what matters most. In this group, we need to understand how to set aside all potential distractions and really focus on what matters most—what we do best: play football on the pitch.

Because what happens off the pitch isn't our responsibility. What we need to manage is our emotions and keep them steady when we step onto the pitch.

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