ISRAEL: FOOTBALL/ SOCCER: Portugal coach says they need to prove to Israel they are the better team

Record ID: 397719

  • Title: ISRAEL: FOOTBALL/ SOCCER: Portugal coach says they need to prove to Israel they are the better team
  • Date: 21st March 2013
  • Summary: RAMAT GAN, ISRAEL (MARCH 21, 2013) (REUTERS) VIEWS OF PORTUGAL PLAYERS TRAINING COACH PAULO BENTO ON TRAINING PITCH CRISTIANO RONALDO ON PITCH/RONALDO AND OTHER PLAYERS IN TRAINING WIDE VIEW OF TRAINING NEWS CONFERENCE (SOUNDBITE) (Portuguese) PORTUGAL COACH PAULO BENTO SAYS: "I said from the beginning of this qualifying period that Portugal and Russia were the two favour
  • Embargoed: 5th April 2013 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Israel
  • Country: Israel
  • Topics: Sports
  • Reuters ID: LVA8K7YNAI5IIAZJ3YLWAEYLWDJW
  • Story Text: Portugal play Group F rival Israel in World Cup qualifier.


    Portugal players trained at Ramat Gan on Thursday (March 21) before their World Cup qualifying match against Israel on Friday (March 22).
    The squad consists of players from high ranking teams but the centre of attention for photographers was Real Madrid's Cristiano Ronaldo.
    Coach Paulo Bento oversaw the training for the team's fifth match of qualifying for next year's World Cup finals in Rio de Janeiro.
    Russia tops Group F of qualification with 12 points. Israel and Portugal come next on seven points but Israel are ahead on goal difference. Northern Ireland, Azerbaijan and Luxembourg trail them.
    At his news conference Paulo Bento said that his team had to earn their place as one of the favourites to top Group F.
    "I said from the beginning of this qualifying period that Portugal and Russia were the two favourites for the top two places in the group, and I still think like that. I think we can win tomorrow, we are well prepared. But favouritism is only a word and a team that is considered the favourite has to prove on the pitch that they are really better," he said.
    "Israel is a good team as well, they have good players, experienced players. They are on the same spot as we are, second place with the same number of points, so we really have to give of our best to win the match tomorrow," he added.
    Bento pushed aside questions about media attention on Cristiano Ronaldo, Real Madrid star and a magnet for fans and photographers,
    "I don't think it is good or bad frankly," Bento said. "Normally Ronaldo has a high media attention, he is used to it, this is normal. What we try to do, our strategy, is to play with our identity, to play with all our players together - depending on what the opponent will throw at us we will try to play the match as usual so this is something that is not really important to us."
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