Portugal Sees Duel With Spain as 'Anticipated Final' and Prepares for Lamine Yamal Clash

Portugal is preparing for its World Cup clash with Spain with confidence, aiming to correct past mistakes and treating the match as an "anticipated final," as stated by defender Nélson Semedo. The Portuguese squad recognizes the high caliber of their Spanish opponents and is focused on improving their own game.

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We are confident because we know our quality. We know also the quality of the adversary. We know what we have to improve.

Semedo emphasized that the World Cup has shown no team can be underestimated, and Portugal must proceed "game by game" without getting carried away by internal confidence. He acknowledged that the team must handle criticism constructively, using it as a catalyst for improvement. "We are confident because we know our quality. We also know the quality of the adversary. We know what we need to improve," Semedo told reporters.

Nuno Mendes, a teammate, echoed the sentiment that Portugal has room to elevate its performance. The Paris Saint-Germain full-back believes the team can perform "a little better" than it has so far, with the goal of progressing in "every game and every training session." Mendes is particularly anticipating his individual matchup with Spain's Lamine Yamal, whom he described as "a player with a lot of quality, who can make a difference in the game."

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We know that the next game is quite complicated, I would say an anticipated final, because they are two teams that could easily be in the final.

The team is also managing player fatigue after a demanding season and tournament. The days leading up to the Spain match are dedicated to rest and implementing their tactical plan. Semedo also commented on the strong performance of Cabo Verde, despite their elimination, praising their representation in the tournament.

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It's a player with a lot of quality, who can make a difference in the game.