It has been well publicized that João Palhinha has struggled for game time at Bayern Munich, starting just one of the club’s nine games so far this season. But, as a vital part of Portugal’s squad in the 2024 EUROs, it was rather surprising to see Palhinha omitted from Portugal’s matchday squad in a 3-1 Nations League win over Poland. Why was this the case? Did his rough start with Bayern Munich already hurt his case with the national team?
Head coach Roberto Martinez provided the reason: “I think the context is important. We have three days and two demanding games,” the former Everton head coach explained, as captured by @iMiaSanMia. “Palhinha was given permission to miss the first training session and it was important to have two more training sessions before being in the squad. He will be there against Scotland. It’s about trying to manage the players.”
Palhinha did indeed request to miss the first training session due to personal reasons. Martinez’s explanation makes sense, but it would not be the first time that a coach used such an explanation as a smokescreen for a bigger reason. If Martinez is truly still counting on the former Sporting CP player, then perhaps he will make an appearance during Portugal’s next match on Tuesday.
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