PEPE RACE TO MAKE IT
PORTUGAL defender Pepe is facing a fitness battle ahead of his country’s Euro 2016 semi-final against Wales. Portuguese FA spokesman Onofre Costa said yesterday: ‘Pepe has a muscle pain in his thigh and is not going to train today as a precaution.’
Centre-back Pepe played all of his team’s penalty shootout win over Poland in last Thursday’s quarter-final in Marseille and the Portuguese FA were stressing last night that the 33-year-old’s injury is not serious.
But it is understood the Brazilian-born player is concerned about the issue ahead of tomorrow’s game.
Certainly coach Fernando Santos will want Pepe to play. The veteran has been in fine form during Portugal’s passage to the last four — which has seen them draw all three group games, beat Croatia deep in extra-time and see off Poland on penalties — and Santos believes he is one player they cannot afford to be without.
‘Pepe has been a team leader from the beginning,’ Santos said.
‘On the field, they all have to be leaders one way, some another. At certain times of the game, everyone has to assume their role as a leader. These players are the right arm of the coach and Pepe has been that.’
When news reached Gareth Bale at the Wales training base in Dinard of his Real team-mate’s injury, there were only words of genuine warmth for the arch-antagonist.
Bale said: ‘He’s a very professional athlete and a great man. He’s been very good with me. It’ll be a big loss for Portugal but I’m sure he’ll do everything he can to get fit.’
If Pepe does regain full fitness, he and Cristiano Ronaldo will relish facing off against Bale, but Santos is unconcerned about the inevitable media attention on the duel between two of the world’s best attackers.
‘We will not focus on that,’ Santos said. ‘Maybe in Spain that is news. Players from the same team facing each other is normal and it is legitimate to talk about it. But it does not concern us.’ He did, though, praise his star man Ronaldo, saying: ‘He is an example, as captain, of the spirit of this team, of this team’s determination. He wants to do well and he wants to win — in this aspect he has been fantastic. He’s an example of what the team is.’ Portugal midfielder Andre Gomes — who knows Bale well from matches with Valencia — says his side are braced for a barrage from the Welsh.
‘I’ve played against British teams in the past, so I know their way to play, their style,’ he said. ‘They are very strong physically, they’ve got a very good team.
‘We are preparing to face a very strong Wales team. They attack very well and they counter-attack very well.
‘But we will use our weapons the best way we can to beat them.’