Seleção run riot with Benfica flair, coach: lots of hunger | OneFootball

Luís Freire expressed great satisfaction with the result achieved by the Under-21 National Team, in the match against Gibraltar, a qualifying match for the European Championship in the category. The Portuguese coach, who started with two players from Benfica (the loaned André Gomes and Gustavo Varela), spoke to journalists at the end of the match and did not hide his pride, just as he had done in the last match.

"We tried our best to convey to the players the importance of being the same team we have been, with a lot of energy, joy, and passion for the game," began Luís Freire, who saw the Under-21 National Team defeat Gibraltar's counterpart by 11-0.

Luís Freire continued, on the importance of the team's attitude: "The group was very united and competent, always with a great hunger for goals. They were always looking, never let the game slow down, speeding it up as we had asked."

“Several players played with me, from the start, for the first time and gave an excellent response,” said the former coach of Rio Ave and Vitória de Guimarães. It should be noted that Gonçalo Oliveira, from Benfica, has been a regular starter but was not part of the match against Gibraltar, a decision related to group management.

Finally, he highlighted the "growth and consistency in the game," especially because "creating many opportunities against a low block is not easy," added the Under-21 National Team coach. Portugal, at the end of this double qualifying round, is very close to securing a place in the European Championship of the category, which will be held in 2027.

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇵🇹 here.