June 26 – With a perfect record on the line, Portugal manager Roberto Martinez has guaranteed that his side, assured of a spot in the last 16, will not ease off against Georgia in their final Group F game. Cristiano Ronaldo will start.
Portugal got their campaign off to a slow start against Czechia but came good with a 3-0 win against Turkey following the introduction of Joao Palhinha.
His presence liberated both Bruno Fernandes and Bernardo Silva as Georgia struggled against Portugal’s imposing midfield.
However, Martinez, who succeeded Fernando Santos at Portugal, said he will strike a balance between ensuring a win against Georgia and resting some of his first-team players.
Iberian rivals Spain rotated heavily in their final group match, fielding ten new players in a 1-0 victory against Albania.
“We are preparing the game to win,” said Martinez at a news conference.
“The integrity of the tournament is essential. Georgia has had a very interesting tournament. They could have defeated the Czech Republic in the last minute of the game. They were very competitive against Turkey. We are determined to continue with the same focus and win. The important thing is to continue to grow. We don’t like the word rotation, all the players who are in the squad are important.”
Martinez confirmed that Cristiano Ronaldo and Diogo Costa will be starters in Gelsenkirchen. Ronaldo is yet to score a goal at these finals but hugged the headlines with his selfless assist against Turkey. Pitch invaders also sought selfies with the Portuguese star in Dortmund.
“I can say that the captain will be starting in the first eleven,” said Martinez. “It’s important. It’s a preparation game. His campaign has been very consistent and he played all the games, he has made a lot of minutes. To continue with the competitive rhythm, it is not enough to rest now and then restart in six days. The captain and Diogo Costa are in the starting eleven.”
He added: “Ronaldo is an experienced player, he has been with the national team for over 20 years. He knows the support very well. Not only of the national team’s fans but of all football fans. Invasions are dangerous and not good for the image of football, it’s not a part of the game we want to see.”
Georgia have a point from two matches and have their backs against the wall.
The Georgians clinched their first-ever point at the European championship with a 1-1 draw against the Czech Republic to bounce back from their opening-day defeat against Turkey in Dortmund. The tournament debutants will however need to go a step further and win a first match to progress from the group stages.
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