Portugal head coach Roberto Martinez has singled out Eric Chelle’s tactical approach for praise as he prepares his side for an international friendly against Nigeria in Leiria.
The Spaniard expects a stern examination from the Super Eagles despite Nigeria’s absence from the 2026 FIFA World Cup and believes the encounter will provide valuable preparation for Portugal ahead of their tournament opener against DR Congo.
The friendly will take place on Wednesday at the Estadio Dr. Magalhaes Pessoa, with both nations seeking to build momentum after positive recent results.
Nigeria head into the fixture following an encouraging 2-2 draw against Poland, while Portugal secured a 2-1 victory over Chile as preparations for the World Cup continue.
Speaking before the match, Martinez explained that Nigeria’s attacking profile could offer Portugal a useful challenge ahead of facing DR Congo.
“I think there are two main aspects for us against a team like Congo,” Martinez said.
“There are aspects, in terms of Nigeria’s forward players, where I think there are qualities that will be very helpful for us to defend as a team in the areas we’re going to face against DR Congo.
“I expect a Nigerian team to be very competitive.”
Beyond the individual quality within the Super Eagles squad, Martinez reserved special praise for the work being done by Chelle since taking charge of the national team.
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The former Belgium manager revealed he was particularly impressed by Nigeria’s recent performance against Poland and the tactical flexibility displayed by the team.
“I enjoyed the game against Poland, the last friendly,” Martinez said.
“I love the ideas of the coach. I think, flexibly, as a team, using the different systems that they use, fits different players in different positions.”
Nigeria will be without two of their biggest attacking stars, Victor Osimhen and Ademola Lookman, but Martinez insists the Super Eagles still possess enough depth and experience to remain a dangerous opponent.
“I can see that obviously players like Osimhen and Lookman are not here, but they are replaced by other players,” he continued.
“They have a really high level of performance, and I expect a very competitive game.
“Real quality players with a lot of experience like Calvin Bassey, Alex Iwobi players that I know very, very well.
“(I expect) a competitive game that I think is going to help both teams in many aspects.”
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Martinez’s comments will come as another vote of confidence in Chelle’s rebuilding project, with the Super Eagles showing encouraging signs despite the disappointment of missing out on World Cup qualification.
