Fonte, Carvalho target stricken Austria

Portugal are determined to respond to their draw with Iceland by inflicting a second defeat on under-pressure Austria at Euro 2016, according to Ricardo Carvalho and Jose Fonte.

Fernando Santos’ team were held to a 1-1 draw by the tournament debutants in Saint-Etienne on Tuesday, as Austria – considered by some as potential candidates to win the European Championship – suffered a surprise 2-0 loss to their improved neighbours Hungary in Bordeaux. 

Asked if the reverse suffered by Marcel Koller’s side would prove to be an advantage to Portugal when the teams clash in Paris on Saturday, Fonte said: “Possibly. But they will want to win as well. They have to win after their defeat.

“It will be an extremely tough game. They have good players, they won, if I’m not wrong, nine games in their qualification group. We know their strengths as well. We know it’s going to be tough game but we’ll be ready for them.”

Carvalho meanwhile believes the onus is on Portugal to improve after a frustrating outcome against one of the competition’s relative minnows at Stade Geoffroy-Guichard.

“I think we have to look to ourselves,” he said.

“We have to do our best to go through. It depends more on us than them [Austria]. Of course you respect everyone but … it’s important to be prepared for the next game, because after a draw it’s important to win.”

Portugal captain Cristiano Ronaldo cut a frustrated figure after the opening game, directing a jibe at what he considered to be Iceland’s “small mentality”.

But the star forward insisted his team remain well placed to progress to the round of 16, an assessment echoed by Southampton defender Fonte.

“We didn’t lose, we can’t be too down,” he said.

“And when we win, we can’t be too [up] in the clouds. It’s about being balanced. We know we could have got the three points. We didn’t, but we still have two games to get the qualification that we want. 

“We are disappointed but we need to take the positives, analyse where we were not so good and put it right in the next game. We need to focus on Austria and try to put it right in that one.”