The National Team leaves for Switzerland today to compete in the Nations Cup

After three days of preparation, the national senior men’s team leaves Luso today, heading to Switzerland, where it will participate in the Nations Cup until Sunday. On Wednesday, the Portuguese team enters the rink, at 8 pm, for the first game against the Swiss team.

Before the match, we heard from the national coach, Paulo Freitas, who spoke to us about these first days at the helm of the team.

FPP – This will be his first competition as national coach. Despite the short preparation time, how do you describe your first feelings with the work group?

Federal Police – Very good sensations, it couldn’t be any other way. We are talking about a group of athletes highly motivated to represent Portugal, who compete in their clubs at the highest level and who clearly, what I feel, is that they bring all their commitment and availability to work in favor of the country.

FPP – Portugal is the most successful team in the Montreux Tournament, with 19 victories. Does this success story influence the team’s mentality and expectations for this edition?

Federal Police – I won’t say that there is a direct relationship here. It is clear that Portugal is the team that has won the most titles in the Nations Cup and this has to do with the quality of the Portuguese player. More than we can think of in this way, it is to feel that we have a group that allows us, at all times of the game and during the competition, to be able to give good answers and, therefore, to be motivated and focused to continue this path of achievement. of trophies.

FPP – How did you plan these days to maximize the little time available to prepare the team?

Federal Police – It’s not easy, obviously. And this is the first contact I have with this working group. We realize that we are going to make the most of the time we have available here, and that it is not much, because we are practically talking about five training units. We will try to find the best solutions here in a very global and very generic way, which create comfort and bring us added value and advantages during the competition, so that with these four/five ideas we can all think in the same way, moving on to track, and perform them all the same way.

FPP – How do you see this competition in terms of preparation for future challenges, within the scope of the entire 2024 season, including the world championship?

In terms of selection, it is a very interesting competition, because it also allows us to assess some collective dynamics and some individual issues and therefore, it allows us at this point to bring together a group of athletes, who in my opinion are those who currently have the best conditions. to represent Portugal, and also understand if some things that were the basis of this call – if effectively now with the daily work even though it is small -, we can reach the conclusions we envisaged.

Above all this, it allows us to bring together this group of athletes, it allows us to compete at the highest level, because we will have opponents on the other side who will force us to be at our best, and only our best version of Portugal will succeed. overcome the obstacles that will appear. Even to look at future situations and understand whether some adjustments can be made or not, or whether we are satisfied with the work that will be developed by this group of athletes.

FPP – «The responsibility of bringing joy to the Portuguese people». Does this phrase of yours embody the entire sense of mission that you want to emerge from this journey that you are now beginning together?

Federal Police – Yes, clearly. And this has a lot to do with what I’ve felt since I was very young, because I’ve been here for a few years following this sport, and I’m sure that the Portuguese people have a great affection for roller hockey. That’s why I said that we have to think about the privilege we have in being here, in representing the country, but on the other hand also the responsibility that this brings us. And that’s why we just have to enjoy and win titles, because the Portuguese people will certainly be satisfied with a possible new achievement by their team.

Agenda | Group stage

03/27/2024 | 8pm | Portugal x Switzerland
03/28/2024 | 8pm | France x Portugal
03/29/2024 | 8pm | Portugal x Spain

Semi finals
04/30/2024

Final
04/31/2024