Though rather awkward, Bruno Fernandes makes another appearance for Portugal.

Portugal's opening match of Euro 2024 in Leipzig saw them defeat the Czech Republic 2-1, but it was a tense Tuesday night. Not renowned for playing conservative football, Roberto Martinez used a back three in a flexible 3-4-1-2 formation. Rafael Leao and Cristiano Ronaldo played as split strikers in this arrangement; however, by the end of the game, Portugal had six attackers on the field, which demonstrated why the Catalan may have made a mistake this time.

Usually a more sophisticated playmaker, Bruno Fernandes was positioned deeper next to Vitinha. The Manchester United midfielder was forced to cover more distance as a result, which frequently resulted in the Czech defense overwhelming Portugal's midfield. Although Fernandes had experience playing box-to-box, as an attacking midfielder, the change didn't seem quite right for the national side.

Although Fernandes's influence was originally limited by his position, it is a credit to his exceptional abilities that he demonstrated his creative ability by directing Portugal's greatest attempts in the first half. Leao nearly converted his accurate cross with a wicked dipping effort from Fernandes that just missed the crossbar, demonstrating Fernandes' adaptability and success even in a supporting role.

When asked about Portugal's wastefulness in the first half, Fernandes raised his hand to indicate that it was by no means his best effort.

"Especially me, we made a lot of blunders in the first half. There are two sides to taking chances. I am conscious of this. In an interview with media in the mixed zone after the victory, the midfielder stated, "The midfielders take more risks."