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Women’s National Team

Montse Tomé: “Playing against Spain motivates our opponents and qualifying is in our hands”

The national team coach spoke to the press ahead of the Portugal vs Spain match.
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Thu, 03/04/2025 - 19:22

The national team, set to face Portugal tomorrow in the third matchday of Group A3 in the UEFA Women’s Nations League qualifiers, held a press conference at the Capital do Móvel before heading into their final training session.

If there is one message the coaching staff wants to convey before this match, it is “Confidence. What we instil in the team is confidence, options, solutions, and, above all, belief in the team’s abilities. We know Portugal well, and they will come out highly motivated against Spain because playing against Spain is a big motivation for our opponents. We need to be focused so that nothing catches us off guard. We come into this game with a positive team dynamic, and the players are really looking forward to tomorrow’s match.”

From a sporting perspective, Spain are facing the group leaders, Portugal, but the objectives remain unchanged as they aim for qualification in the UEFA Women’s Nations League latter stages, “If you just look at the table, it tells one story. But I believe we are a competitive team. Teams are improving all the time, and that leads to matches like the one against England, which we lost but could have drawn or even won. The good thing is that qualification is still in our hands. Right now, the team is fully focused on Portugal.”

Montse Tomé analysed the opponents they will be facing and Spain’s chances: “Portugal are one of the teams that changes their positioning and structure on the pitch the most. We have seen a bit of everything, and we have communicated that to the players—even during the match itself. They have been working with this coach for a long time, and we have been analysing them for a long time too. Spain are a team with many alternatives, with different options both in attack and defence. We have a clear idea of what this Spain can do, and depending on how Portugal set up, we will adapt to win.”

The Portuguese side, managed by Francisco Neto, come into the match with some key absences but, despite that, still pose a threat: “There are three important players missing for Portugal, especially Kika, who plays a big role in their transitions. My coaching staff follow the Portuguese league closely; we have Martín-Prieto playing there, and we keep track of the players who could create difficult situations for us.”

Montse also highlighted how the Spanish forward playing for Benfica has shared valuable insights about Portuguese football: “Martín-Prieto’s high level is clear for all to see. She has told us about how the Portuguese league operates, and it is improving a lot, with an open, fast-paced style of football that characterises the Portuguese national team.”

The head coach and her staff have meticulously prepared for this match, knowing that their opponents will be extra motivated, not only because they are top of the group but also because they are facing the World Cup and Nations League winners: “Results always help build confidence. Teams grow by winning and by proving themselves against the best. Portugal will come into this match against Spain with no pressure and plenty of motivation. We have great ability, and we are prepared and eager to get out there and play. We must be focused so that we are ready for the any weaknesses Portugal try to exploit. We know how they can create problems for us, but we also know exactly how we want to play against Portugal.”

Watch Mariona Caldentey and Montse Tomé’s press conference again

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