Euro 2024: Roberto Martinez expresa ‘preocupación’ por el ‘espectacular’ Ronaldo mientras los aficionados se apresuran hacia el jugador durante la victoria sobre Turquía.

Roberto Martinez, the Portugal coach, had nothing but praise for Cristiano Ronaldo and Pepe following Portugal’s 3-0 victory over Turkey at Euro 2024. However, Martinez expressed his concern over the repeated pitch invasions by fans during the match.

Portugal’s win secured their place in the knockout phase of Group F, with two wins out of two for Martinez’s side. Both Ronaldo and Pepe played crucial roles in the victory.

Ronaldo, who now plays for Al-Nassr in the Saudi Pro League, provided an assist to Bruno Fernandes, extending Portugal’s lead to 3-0. Meanwhile, the 41-year-old Pepe, who captains Porto, played for 83 minutes and helped Portugal keep a clean sheet.

Martinez was full of admiration for Pepe, stating, “For a neutral watching the game and seeing Pepe playing, you would never believe that he is 41 years old. He is an example, a professional. The way he reads the game, the way he competes, he is a wonderful example for Portuguese football and for football in general.”

Turning his attention to Ronaldo, Martinez highlighted the forward’s selflessness in providing an assist instead of going for goal himself. He said, “To have Cristiano, who is an out-and-out goalscorer, he gets in front of the ‘keeper and he looks for the assist to Bruno Fernandes. That is a pure moment of Portuguese football. That is an example that should be shown in every academy in Portugal and in the world of football, that the team is the most important thing. That assist probably means more than scoring any goal.”

Despite the victory, Martinez expressed concern over the fans repeatedly invading the pitch to take photos with Ronaldo. While their intentions may have been good, Martinez emphasized the need for caution and the potential dangers of such actions. He stated, “We need to be careful. It shouldn’t happen – there’s a lot of security. We should give a message to the fans also because it is not the right way. It may get worse for the future. It’s not good to have the players so exposed on the pitch.”

With their place in the next round secured, Portugal will face Georgia in their final group match. Martinez remains optimistic about his team’s chances and highlighted the importance of tactical flexibility. He said, “The players can play five at the back, four at the back, different solutions in order to help their individual talent shine through. That is why it’s very important to work hard at practice and during the preparation stages. The players have to be tactically flexible and that is very tough when national teams play.”