Beijing time on October 3, the 2nd round of the UEFA Champions League stage is about to start a focal point of the duel, by Benfica against Atletico Madrid. Before the match, the Portuguese national team manager Martinez looked ahead to the match and gave his opinion.
Martinez began by praising Benfica highly, calling it a club with a deep tradition and passion in every game. He singled out Benfica manager Bruno Lage for the positive changes he has brought to the team, saying that Lage has done a great job of energizing the team since his arrival. However, Martinez also pointed out that despite Benfica's new look, they are still novices in the Champions League and need to keep learning and adapting.
Speaking about the changes in Benfica's lineup, Martinez said that the team only kept the center back duo Otamendi and Antonio Silva, and made personnel changes in all other positions. This change makes Benfica a brand new team, full of unknowns and possibilities.
For the new Champions League system, Martinez expressed his support and recognition. He believes that the change in the system is to avoid a situation where the result of the match is already determined, thus increasing the suspense and spectacle of the match. He believes that this new system can achieve the desired effect and make the matches more fair and intense.
Speaking about rivals Atletico Madrid, Martinez praised their summer window reinforcements. He believes that both Gallagher and Alvarez are players who are very eager to perform, and Alvarez, in particular, is an important player in the national team and around the world. He emphasized that these two reinforcements are very crucial for Atletico Madrid and will greatly improve them.
Finally, Martinez specifically mentioned the importance of Atletico Madrid manager Simeone. He believes that Simeone plays a crucial role in Atletico's tactical system. Atletico Madrid under his leadership is very stable, which is a huge advantage for them. Martinez also pointed out that Atletico Madrid is very flexible in the game, able to adjust their tactical system according to the situation on the field, which is one of the reasons why they are able to maintain competitiveness in the European arena.
