Pereira: No room for error against 'deadly' Spain
Reuters - Sunday 24 June 2012, 13:21
Portugal cannot
afford to make any errors against Spain's World Cup-winning
midfield regardless of whether they play with an out-and-out
striker in the form of Fernando Torres, defender Joao Pereira
said on Sunday.
Spain and Portugal meet in the first Euro 2012 semi-final in
Donetsk on Wednesday.
"We have a team with personality and we can't make any
mistakes in the defence, because they [Spain] are very strong,"
Pereira told a news conference at Portugal's base in western
Poland.
"The players in the midfield are very strong and the passes
normally are deadly, so we will try not to make any mistakes and
exploit our attack."
Pereira declined to sign up to suggestions by some team
mates that they can take advantage of Spain's struggle to find
the best formula up front in the absence of injured Barcelona
striker David Villa.
Coach Vicente del Bosque has tended to play without an out
and out striker, preferring to include an extra creative
attacking midfielder in Cesc Fabregas ahead of Fernando Torres.
That has paid dividends so far although Spain struggled to
score against Croatia in the group stage and had by far their
most successful attacking game with Torres leading the line in
the 4-0 win over Ireland.
"It's not important for us if Spain play with the same
players, with Torres or without Torres," Pereira said. "It's not
important if they play with a striker or with six midfielders,
it's the same."