After Portugal's 2-1 comeback win over the Czech Republic in the first round of the Europa League group stage, Portugal defender Nuno Mendes shared his thoughts on the game. In an interview with the Portuguese Association of Independent Broadcasters, he spoke about his experience of playing as a guest left center back in a three-back formation in this match and the significance of the victory.
Nuno Mendes started off by talking about the role he played in this game. He confessed that he had also played in this position at his club, so he was no stranger to the three-at-the-back formation. Although his strengths such as speed may not be fully utilized in this formation, he emphasized that he stood in this position in order to help the team, and that this style of play, although difficult, gave him more opportunities to help the team.
Talking about the victory, Nuno Mendes believes that it highlights the great spirit of the Portuguese team. He said that the Portuguese will never give up and will keep fighting until the last second of the game, which is why they were able to hold on until the end and win. This victory is not only an affirmation of the team's strength, but also the best interpretation of the spirit of Portuguese soccer.
