The tension before the spectacle is rising: The Slovenian national team is ready for Ronaldo and the Portuguese, with no shortage of motivation in the home camp
Photo: Vid Ponikvar / Sportida
Slovenian national football team has already started regeneration after Thursday’s draw in Malta and begun preparations for the Tuesday spectacle, when Portugal with Cristiano Ronaldo and many other stars is coming to the sold-out and renovated Stožice Stadium. The visit to Malta left some painful memories on our guys, but fortunately, everyone came out of it without serious consequences.
“There’s still a scratch on my leg, but that’s part of our sport. Every day is getting better, and I think everything will be fine soon. We’ve already done the regeneration, today we have certain things planned, and we’re doing everything to be ready for the match against Portugal,” says Vanja Drkušić, who is not afraid of facing the former European champions and Nations League winners.
“We have a sufficiently quality team, and I think we can compete with anyone if we stick to our principles. We’ve already watched Portugal; they’re a very high-quality team, but I’m convinced we can compete with them with our fighting spirit and desire. We’re playing against a big opponent, and the full Stožice will surely be an additional motivation,” says the member of Russian Sochi.
The central defender of the Slovenian national team realizes that Portugal will be the favorite in Tuesday’s match, but that does not diminish his ambitions to prove himself. “I would be satisfied with a win, although that might be a bit of a crazy prediction for someone. We are a team that plays to win every game, and until the other team shows us that they are better on the field, we will give our all to win,” he adds.
Tomi Horvat, who played in the starting lineup for the first time with Triglav on his chest in Malta, does not doubt the quality of the Slovenian team. “I’ve been waiting for this opportunity for a long time, and I’m glad I played my first game from the first minute. There is always great competition in the team, so you have to fight for your place. It’s a shame we didn’t win on Thursday, but on the other hand, it’s preparation for the European Championship, and every game brings certain valuable insights,” he says.
The midfielder of Austrian Sturm is also eagerly awaiting the match against Portugal, hoping for a good performance from Slovenia. “We need to prepare maximally to stand well on the field and be dangerous. I hope we achieve a good result,” says Horvat, concluding: “Portugal is one of the best teams in the world with excellent individuals. But this time they’re coming to us, and I believe we can cause them problems,” he concludes.
You can watch the full statements in the video below.
This text was automatically translated using AI.
Author: editorial Football Planet
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