標題: Gomes not utilising mind games [打印本頁] 作者: nikotina 時間: 2008-6-19 04:17 AM 標題: Gomes not utilising mind games
Portugal captain Nuno Gomes has urged his team-mates not to imitate quarter-final opponents Germany by engaging in mind games.
Experienced Germany duo Jens Lehmann and Michael Ballack have cranked up the pressure on the Portuguese ahead of Thursday's Euro 2008 showdown in Basle.
Veteran goalkeeper Lehmann claimed he knows the secret behind stopping Cristiano Ronaldo, while Chelsea midfielder Ballack made the Iberians favourites to reach the last four.
Gomes, however, was decorum personified when challenged to respond to the Germans' taunts.
"We don't want to go down that path," he said. "We know that in these games, all strategies are allowed to try and unbalance the opponent - that's the weapon Lehmann has used.
"We are just concentrating on winning the game. The motto on our shirts for these Euros is 'Respect', so we are respecting all our opponents.
"Germany have a strong team and we have studied their strong points so we know what we have to do. We just want to impose our game and play our way."
Germany have had the better of Portugal in recent meetings, the latest coming in the 2006 World Cup when Jurgen Klinsmann's men won 3-1 in the third-place play-off.
Gomes, who scored a late consolation for the Portuguese that game, thinks the fact the Germans have had a relatively settled in recent years gives them a slight edge.
"I saw in the newspaper that we are favourites, but I don't think like that," the Benfica striker added.
"We know the German team very well. Maybe they are favourites because they beat us and they have played since 2002 with the same team. We have changed a lot since then.
"They have a lot of players who play our style, so maybe it will be a good game to watch. Both are great teams."
