Belgium coach Roberto Martinez says intensity will be key in World Cup qualifier against Bosnia

Record ID: 84632

  • Title: Belgium coach Roberto Martinez says intensity will be key in World Cup qualifier against Bosnia
  • Date: 6th October 2016
  • Summary: BRUSSELS, BELGIUM (OCTOBER 6, 2016) (REUTERS) **** WARNING CONTAINS FLASH PHOTOGRAPHY **** A PILE OF SOCCER BALLS ON PITCH / BELGIUM NATIONAL COACH ROBERTO MARTINEZ SPEAKING WITH STAFF MIDFIELDERS MAROUANE FELLAINI AND NACER CHADLI AND FORWARD CHRISTIAN BENTEKE WALKING ONTO THE PITCH DEFENDERS TOBY ALDERWEIRELD AND JAN VERTONGHEN WALKING ONTO THE PITCH DEFENDER LAURENT CIMAN AND FORWARD ROMELU LUKAKU WALKING ONTO PITCH BELGIAN TEAM PLAYERS WALKING ONTO PITCH PLAYERS ON THE PITCH BELGIUM ASSISTANT COACH THIERRY HENRY KICKING A BALL BELGIAN PLAYERS JOGGING HENRY WITH STAFF MEMBER MOVING THE GOAL / SOCCER BALLS (SOUNDBITE) (English) BELGIUM NATIONAL TEAM COACH, ROBERTO MARTINEZ, SAYING: "For every action it will be very, very difficult. Bosnia and Herzegovina they've got a really, really close group of players that they know each other really well. It's almost as if they bring a club level feeling the way they play with the national team. The players have been together for a long time, they know each other well, and we will have to match that element." VARIOUS OF BELGIAN PLAYERS WARMING UP, TRAINING BELGIAN PLAYERS ON PITCH BELGIAN PLAYERS JOKING AROUND WITH EACH OTHER DURING TRAINING (SOUNDBITE) (English) BELGIUM NATIONAL TEAM COACH, ROBERTO MARTINEZ, SAYING: "I think we are ready. We work really well today. It is almost just to stretch the muscles, get good oxygen, get a great feel of where we are going to play tomorrow and just make sure that the final hours are just the calmest and psychologically get us ready. But I'm clear and the players will be very clear tomorrow." VARIOUS OF BELGIAN PLAYERS DURING TRAINING, MARTINEZ LOOKING ON BELGIAN PLAYERS JUMPING UP AND DOWN DURING A TRAINING GAME (SOUNDBITE) (English) BELGIUM NATIONAL TEAM COACH, ROBERTO MARTINEZ, SAYING: "For me it is going to be both, if we cannot play with intensity on the ball we are not going to break them down. And if we don't play with intensity without the ball, they are going to complicate our defensive duties. All in all I would say that the intensity tomorrow from our point of view, the way we are going to play our game, it is going to be the biggest aspect." VARIOUS OF BELGIAN PLAYERS DURING TRAINING GOALKEEPER THIBAUT COURTOIS DIVING DOWN TO SAVE BALLS FORWARD DIVOCK ORIGI WITH STAFF MEMBER ON HIS BACK VARIOUS BOSNIAN PLAYERS TRAINING ON THE PITCH / COACH MEHMED BAZDAREVIC BOSNIAN PLAYERS GATHERING WITH BAZDAREVIC ON THE PITCH BOSNIAN MIDFIELDER MIRALEM PJANIC STANDING IN A GROUP WITH COACH AND OTHER PLAYERS BOSNIAN PLAYERS TRAINING ON THE PITCH PJANIC WARMING UP ON THE PITCH BAZDAREVIC GESTURING AND TALKING WITH PLAYERS ON THE PITCH (SOUNDBITE) (English) BOSNIA AND HERZEGOVINA MIDFIELDER, MIRALEM PJANIC, SAYING: "They have a very good team, they have a lot of individuals who can decide the game and we know that. Belgium is for sure the favourite tomorrow but I think that our team also they can do something and we hope to do a good game. We know it will not be easy but the game is 95 minutes so if it will be good on the pitch we stand good on the pitch I think the team and work together, I think that the team have some chances to do something because they have also a lot of players who are injured so maybe it's good for us." GOALKEEPER ASMIR BEGOVIC CATCHING A BALL BOSNIAN DEFENDER EMIR SPAHIC WARMING UP WITH TEAMMATES CAPTAIN EDIN DZEKO PASSING THE BALL PJANIC KICKING A BALL DZEKO AND SPAHIC WARMING UP WITH TEAMMATES BOSNIAN PLAYERS PASSING A BALL
  • Embargoed: 21st October 2016 20:46
  • Keywords: Belgium Bosnia-Herzegovina Roberto Martinez
  • Location: BRUSSELS, BELGIUM
  • City: BRUSSELS, BELGIUM
  • Country: Belgium
  • Topics: Soccer,Sport
  • Reuters ID: LVA00152VDB27
  • Aspect Ratio: 16:9
  • Story Text: Belgium coach Roberto Martinez said that his side needs to play with intensity when they host Bosnia-Herzegovina in their World Cup Group H qualifier on Friday (October 7).
    Both sides won their opening qualifying matches and Martinez, who replaced Marc Wilmots after Euro 2016, believes Bosnia will be tough opponents.
    "Bosnia and Herzegovina they've got a really, really close group of players that they know each other really well. It's almost as if they bring a club level feeling the way they play with the national team. The players have been together for a long time, they know each other well, and we will have to match that element," the Spaniard said.
    "If we can not play with intensity on the ball we are not going to break them down. And if we don't play with intensity without the ball, they are going to complicate our defensive duties. All in all I would say that the intensity tomorrow from our point of view, the way we are going to play our game, it is going to be the biggest aspect," Martinez said.
    Bosnia midfielder, Miralem Pjanic, was optimistic about his team's chances.
    "They have a very good team, they have a lot of individuals who can decide the game and we know that. Belgium is for sure the favourite tomorrow but I think that our team also they can do something and we hope to do a good game," said Pjanic.
    "We know it will not be easy but the game is 95 minutes so if it will be good on the pitch we stand good on the pitch I think the team and work together, I think that the team have some chances to do something because they have also a lot of players who are injured so maybe it's good for us," he added.
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