Martinez: A Harsh Victory, the Four-Back Formation Was Key to Our Success

In the second round of Group F matches at the Euros, Portugal secured a 3-0 victory over Turkey, advancing to the next stage as group leaders with two consecutive wins. After the match, Portugal’s head coach Roberto Martinez spoke to the media.

Martinez expressed concern about pitch invaders attempting to approach players. Yesterday, four individuals tried to take pictures with Cristiano Ronaldo on the field. He said, “It’s a worrying issue that we’re closely monitoring. We all hope that fans recognize the importance of these big stars and idols, but these moments are complicated and tense. They break focus and shouldn’t happen, despite the security measures in place. We must convey the message that storming the pitch is not the right way to interact with idols; it might lead to stricter security measures, and players shouldn’t be disturbed like this during games.”

At halftime, Martinez substituted Ruben Neves and Pedro Neto for Palhinha and Leao. He explained, “We needed adjustments at halftime due to yellow cards. It’s a great feeling to see everyone ready to step in.”

Regarding the decision to play with a back-four formation, he added, “Turkey has great inside play and tries to exploit those areas, with good crosses from both wings. Having Palhinha in the first half and Ruben Neves in the second was crucial. The system helped our defensive actions, and we defended well against the Czechs; today, we did the same against Turkey.”

Reflecting on the match, he commented, “This was an incredibly important game for us, both internally and externally, a harsh victory.”