 Figo respectful but ruthless
06/30/2006
Portugal captain Luis Figo has said that his side respects England and does not view Saturday's quarter-final as a grudge match.
The Inter Milan player added, however, that he and his team-mates were planning to use the awareness they have of the England team to their advantage in the game.
"We see them with the respect that there should always be," Figo said.
"We have a deep knowledge of their team. We have seen them in the World Cup, we know the way they play and we have to be prepared for anything that could happen on the pitch."
England go into the game as favourites at 11/10 compared to Portugal's 11/5, but will have to start well in the game in order to allay any fears of a repeat of the Euro 2004 quarter-final.
That game was decided by the bane of all English football fans – the penalty shoot-out – and both teams have been valued evenly to win on penalties this Saturday at 11/1.
Despite the history between the two teams, Figo declined to comment on whether he thought his team had a "psychological advantage" over England.
The 33-year-old did reveal, however, that he and his team-mates had not been practising penalties ahead of the match as they would rather avoid the necessity altogether.
"I would prefer to beat England within 90 minutes but if the game has to go on longer it is not a problem for us," he said.
Luis Figo has odds of 12/1 to be the first goalscorer in the game, while the favourite to hit the back of the net before anyone else is Wayne Rooney at 5/1, followed by Pauleta at 6/1.
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