Ireland’s morale was low as they traveled to Portugal following their 2-0 loss to Greece at home. Gibraltar’s coach, Julio Cesar Ribas, is looking to add to their disappointment in Faro.
“Ireland is a strong team with a talented coaching staff. However, I believe that every team, no matter the circumstances, is always one result away from turning things around,” said Ribas today.
“We have immense respect for Ireland, both as a team and as a nation. But for us, every game is a final. We take it one game at a time and strive for the kind of result we have achieved in the past,” Ribas added.
“Like us, Ireland has gone through a transition, with players coming and going. It’s hard to determine which team is better, as every club or country experiences these changes. They are growing as a team, and we respect that,” Ribas continued.
“The players need to prepare themselves for this mindset, and we will see if the result follows. I won’t make predictions; our focus is solely on preparing for the game,” Ribas emphasized.
Since Mick McCarthy’s team won 1-0 in Gibraltar four years ago, the Irish squad has gone through changes. Only Shane Duffy and Matt Doherty are involved in this window, while others have retired.
“Many players on both sides played in Gibraltar in 2019. We have maintained our growth and development as a team. Every team, including Ireland, has its strengths and weaknesses, which we have identified and worked on,” Ribas explained in anticipation of his fourth encounter with Ireland as manager.
Due to construction at their home stadium in Gibraltar, the match will take place in the Estadio Algarve in Faro, with an expected crowd of 3,300 in a venue that holds 30,000.
“We want to establish this stadium as our home for future matches,” stated midfielder Evan De Haro.
“We have practiced on this pitch extensively, and playing on grass is preferable to astro, in my opinion. Our game does not change, whether we play in Gibraltar or here in Faro; we will give it our all,” De Haro added.
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