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Georgia's coach Willy Sagnol reacts to his side's remarkable performance against Cristiano Ronaldo and Portugal at the EURO 2024.
In the aftermath of Georgia's stunning 2-0 victory over Cristiano Ronaldo's Portugal, head coach Willy Sagnol praised his team's carefree and disciplined performance, which secured their place in the quarterfinals of EURO 2024.
The debutants, under Sagnol's guidance, produced a remarkable display to overcome the tournament favourites and join them in progressing from Group F on Wednesday night.
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Sagnol on Georgia’s performance vs Portugal
The 2006 World Cup finalist with France spoke to UEFA after the match but could not recall what he told his players before the decisive clash.
"To be honest, I can't remember what I said to the players before the game, but the message was to play their football; keep your discipline when you don't have the ball and when you do have it, play," Sagnol told EURO2024.com.
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The Georgian coach, who had instilled a sense of belief and freedom in his young squad, also highlighted their ability to tap into the spirit of their youth.
"I told them to remember how they played when they were 16 or 17, without any thoughts, and they did it brilliantly today, above all expectations," he added.
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First-half goals from Khvicha Kvaratskhelia and Georges Mikautadze were enough to secure the historic victory for Georgia, as they showcased a disciplined and fearless approach that caught the experienced Portuguese side off guard.
"They did it brilliantly today, above all expectations," Sagnol said, expressing his immense pride in his team's remarkable achievement.
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Sagnol's tactics and man-management skills have been instrumental in Georgia's fairytale run, and the coach will now prepare his side to face another of the tournament favourites, Spain, who finished the group stages with a perfect record, in the quarter-finals.
The Georgian team's journey has captured the imagination of fans across Europe, and Sagnol has promised that his players will fight as they look to continue to defy the odds and write another chapter in their remarkable EURO 2024 story.
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