"We are not relaxed, because our season is not over yet. We have these two very important games and we want to continue with our record of only wins and no goals conceded. That is the goal for this matchday," the athlete highlighted at a press conference.

After two rounds, Portugal is the isolated leader of Group B3 of the Euro2025 qualifiers, with six points, against four for Northern Ireland, one for Malta and none for Bosnia-Herzegovina, resulting from two wins, against Bosnia, by 3-0, and Malta, by 2-0.

"It is a difficult opponent. It is a team that was present in the last European Championship and has not yet lost in this competition. It is a team slightly different from ours, more physical and with a more direct game, but we are already expecting that. Overall, it is a strong team," stressed Joana Marchão, who represents the Swiss team Servette.

The evolution of the team led by coach Francisco Neto in recent years has been reflected in the way other teams look at the Portuguese team, stressed the 27-year-old player, who listed the greatest strengths that contribute to this evolution.

"All the work we have been doing is reflected in the way other teams look at us. If before we were a small team, who did not beat anyone and conceded many goals, today they look at us with different eyes, as a difficult duel and as a very united, combative team with a well-defined game idea," she also highlighted.

Joana Marchão is a versatile player, as she can play as a left-back or as a winger, but regardless of the tactics or game plan, the focus "is always to give everything" she can to the team.

"There are situations in which I feel more comfortable than others, but my goal will always be to give everything I can. If I have to play as a goalkeeper, I will. I have no problem doing everything to help the team," she stressed.

On the second day of preparation for the double matchday, the full-back Catarina Amado was absent from the morning training session at the Cidade do Futebol in Oeiras, as she was ill, while the forward Carolina Mendes joined the training session on a limited basis.

Portugal will host Northern Ireland on Friday, at 8:45 pm, at the Estádio Municipal de Leiria, and will travel on June 4 to the Mourneview Park Stadium, in Lurgan, to face the Northern Irish again, in a match scheduled to start at 7:00 pm.

To reach the final phase of Euro 2025, which will be held in Switzerland, between July 2 and 27, 2025, Portugal needs to be placed in one of the first three places in the group and also pass two play-off rounds.