Joao Moutinho has underlined the importance of the UEFA Nations League after it was criticised by Kevin De Bruyne.
The two players will represent Portugal and Belgium respectively in the coming fortnight. It comes after a hectic season for the duo, who both ply their trade in the Premier League and are central to their club sides. Portugal are gearing up for a game against Spain in Seville on Thursday.
The Nations League is a relatively new tournament and was bought in to replace international friendlies, thus placing greater importance on games. Portugal won the inaugural competition, beating the Netherlands in the final back in 2019.
However Moutinho has emphasised the importance the squad place on the upcoming games. He said: “All the games we play here, and I speak for the group, we look at it with the same importance, whether it's a friendly, qualifying or the Nations League. It is an important competition that we have already won once and we want to reach the final four and try to win it again."
De Bruyne doesn't share that sentiment. Belgium reached the semi-finals in the 2021 edition, losing to Italy in a third place play-off. The playmaker will remain in action until mid June and needs to report for Manchester City pre-season in July, giving him and his family a month away from football.
The demands placed upon players is an ongoing conversation and De Bruyne has taken issue with the additional games at the end of the season, declaring the upcoming outings as "unimportant". The 30-year-old has already played 49 games for club and country so far this season but insists nothing will change to the schedule.
He said: "For me, the Nations League is unimportant. We have to play those matches, but it's a kind of practice campaign. Everyone has had a very tough season. As soon as we are on the field, we do what we have to do. Then I want to win. Other than that, I don't have much to say about it.
"We have nothing to say about it. As players, we can talk about vacation or rest, but we have no say. We follow what we need to do and that's it. We have a little more than three weeks of vacation every 12 months. The outsiders don't understand how a player feels after a season. It doesn't have to be, in the end it won't change anyway. Nor is there any point in saying anything about it. Nothing will change anyway."
