Selector Luís Freire today assured that the Portuguese team will be “completely motivated” to achieve the “objective” of the sub-21 European football qualification, promising a “very serious” team against Gibraltar.
© FPF
29/09/2026
by
Lusa
“ Swe know that if we win the game we are in the next European under-21. It's too important a goal not to be completely motivated and focused. Also the question of not winning the last game, we want, of course, to give a strong response and return to victories. It is the victories that feed us ", said the coach to journalists in a hotel unit in Ponta Delgada.
The national team of sub-21 will face Gibraltar on Wednesday at the stadium of São Miguel, in Ponta Delgada, ten years after the last game held in the Azores.
Portugal overcame on Thursday the first defeat – and the first goals suffered – in the qualifying phase for the European under-21, in the visit to Bulgaria, by 2-1, but still in the leadership of Group B with 19 points and can even guarantee first place and clearance at the Stadium of São Miguel.
Luís Freire stated that the next game is an “opportunity” to “win the group” and “get the qualification”, stressing that the “motivation is too great” within the team.
“The game begins 0-0. We have to be very serious. Football is sometimes fertile in unpleasant surprises and we don't want that. We want once again to have the feeling of victory with us, to celebrate with our own and to stamp access to the next European”, he said.
The selector of the sub-21 anticipated that Gibraltar will act with a lower block and warned that the next opponent “both makes a bad result and is very competitive.”.
Asked if he will take advantage of the meeting to manage the team, the coach assured that Portugal will present an offensive team, “regardless” of the players.
“ We will want players who can create creative ability and [that can] in one to solve the problems. They can rely mainly on a very offensive and very aggressive Portugal looking for goals ", defended.
Luís Freire also highlighted the “human heat” of Azorean supporters towards the team.
“ The game is very important, it is decisive for us. Being in the Azores, we receive a lot of affection and support from people. We feel the human warmth of people and the will they have to support us. This for us contagious ", highlighted.
Portugal, which seeks to be in the final phase for the 11th and 4th consecutive, is in the lead of Group B, with 19 points, four more than the Czech Republic, second, and five more than Bulgaria, third.
After receiving the congenre of Gibraltar, on Wednesday, in Ponta Delgada, the young Portuguese team receives on October 6 the Czech Republic, in Leiria, in the last round of the group.