Football Analysis: Euro 2024, Quarter-Finals
Portuguese – French
Time: 2:00 AM Live: PPTV HD 36, True Premier Football 3
Stadium: Volksparkstadion Hamburg
Portugal – Spanish coach Roberto Martinez has no problems with injured players after fighting for 120 minutes in a penalty shootout to beat Slovenia in the previous round, and that will be by dropping the under-performing Milan star Rafael Leao, giving Liverpool star Diogo Jota the chance to work with Bernardo Silva and captain Cristiano Naldo, and the rest is up to Bayern Munich's new signing Palhinha to control the midfield, helping to keep the defence together with Bruno Fernandes, 41-year-old veteran Pepe, and playing with the centre-back duo of Ruben Dias, plus the full-back duo of Joao Cancelo and Nuno Mendes, and goalkeeper Diogo Costa, who showed his ability recently, saving three penalties in the decisive encounter.
France – Didier Deschamps, the former captain of the Euro 2000-winning team, has no options. Adrien Rabiot has picked up enough yellow cards to rest his players, while Kingsley Coman left the camp to watch his wife give birth, and Inter striker Marcus Thuram is out of action and must be dropped along with Rondal, Golo Muani, the supersub who fired Jan Vertonghen to score the winner against Belgium in the previous match, while captain Ki-Lian Mbappé will change his position to create a coordinated match. With Ousmane Dembélé and Antoine Griezmann, N'Golo Kanté controls the midfield, Aurelien Gouameni supports him in defence, joining Dayot Upamecano, flanked by Jules Gondé, Theo Hernandez and goalkeeper Mike Menon.
Players are expected to enter the field.
Portugal (4-3-3): Diogo Costa – Joao Cancelo, Ruben Dias, Pepe, Nuno Mendes – Bruno Fernandes, Joao Palhinha, Vitinha – Berna Ronaldo Silva, Cristiano Ronaldo (captain), Diogo Jota.
France (4-2-3-1): Mike Menon – Jules Gondy, William Saliba, Dayot Upamecano, Theo Hernandez – N'Golo Kante, Aurelien Gouame – Ousmane Dembele, Antoine Griezmann, Kylian Mbappe (captain) – Rendall Goulo Muani.
Game probability
Portugal has an unprecedented depth of strength. But it seems that it has not yet reached its full potential. Having Cristiano Ronaldo at the age of four is a double-edged sword. Without a doubt, though, the team is still not good. But there are more tricks that are missing. One shot can decide the match.
Predicted result of the match: Portugal loses to France 0-1.
“Typical food guru. Problem solver. Devoted beer practitioner. Professional reader. Baconaholic.”