Fernando Santos wary of dangerous Iran
Newly appointed Portuguese coach Fernando Santos looks on during his presentation at the headquarters of the Portuguese Football Federation in Lisbon on September 24, 2014. Fernando Santos was on September 23 named as the new coach of Portugal, succeeding Portuguese compatriot Paulo Bento. Santos, who will be 60 next month, is a former coach of Greece, whom he took to the quarter-finals of the 2012 European Championship and the round of 16 in the World Cup in Brazil. AFP PHOTO / FRANCISCO LEONG (Photo credit should read FRANCISCO LEONG/AFP/Getty Images)
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Loading...Tehran Times – LISBON, Portugal coach Fernando Santos has warned his team about Iran’s threat in the 2018 World Cup.
Portugal and Spain stand out as the favorites to progress from Group B, but in Iran and Morocco they have been drawn against two tricky teams who are absolutely capable of bloodying noses.
Portugal will face Iran in their final group stage match in Saransk on June 25.
“Iran have a very experienced coach (Carlos Queiroz) and they are a dangerous team. Iran participated in the last World Cup and they had a chance to advance to the next round until their last game,” Santos said in an interview with wort.lu.
“I remember that when we arrived at the UEFA Euro 2016, they underestimated Icelanders. I was alert at that time and they are at the World Cup again. We will take nothing for granted when we face our rivals at the 2018 World Cup,” he added.
“Iran are a very strong team. In qualifying round, they did not lose a single match and only conceded two goals in their last game with Syria, when everything was decided,” Santos said.
“I think everybody knows what Carlos has done with his team. Iran without having won a great title, are a difficult team,” the Portugal coach concluded.
