Cristiano Ronaldo’s Portugal will have to recover their intensity and hunger to beat France in their final Euro 2020 group game after a disappointing 4-2 defeat by Germany, defender Pepe said on Tuesday.
“We need to be what we have always been, a very combative team which plays with solidarity,” Pepe told a news conference ahead of the game in Budapest, a re-run of the Euro 2016 final which Portugal won 1-0 after extra time.
“After Germany, we were very sad but we’ve thoroughly analysed our performance and we want to show what we are worth. The last match wasn’t good, that’s true, but Wednesday we have the chance to prove our doubters wrong and play at our best level.”
Monday’s results mean the holders only need to draw against France to clinch their place in the last 16 while they could even qualify with a defeat, just as long as Hungary do not beat Germany in the other Group F game.
Pepe is one of the few survivors of the team that won Euro 2016 with what many believe was an inferior squad but he said the current team needs to match its predecessor in work rate and desire.
France, on the other hand, will hope their attacking stars finally align against Portugal.
They are at present Group F leaders — after Portugal were humbled by Germany — but the fearsome attacking trio of Antoine Griezmann, Kylian Mbappe and Karim Benzema will be disappointed to have only found the net once so far.
Mbappe has looked as fast and tricky as ever; Benzema, though, has now failed to score from 30 shots over three European Championships.
But Deschamps was keeping faith with the man who bagged 29 goals in all competitions for Real Madrid this season.
“With his experience, I don’t think he has doubts. He knows a lot is expected from him but it’s not just about goals,” the coach said, adding that the trio could not bear the whole responsibility in attack.
Griezmann was relaxed. “What every striker needs at the beginning of a competition is to score that first goal,” he said. “Kylian and Karim have the chances. When one goes in, they will flow.”
