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Tag: portugal

  • Euro 2020: Portugal out as Belgium set up quarter final tie with Italy

    Euro 2020: Portugal out as Belgium set up quarter final tie with Italy

    A moment of class from Thorgan Hazard proved enough to knock out holders Portugal as Belgium continued their pursuit of a first major title by reaching the quarter-finals of Euro 2020.

    The Borussia Dortmund winger’s swerving drive from 25 yards arrived late in a cagey first-half and carried Roberto Martinez’s side into a mouth-watering meeting with Italy on Friday.

    Portugal – who again only introduced Manchester United’s Bruno Fernandes from the bench – will look back on key Diogo Jota chances, a Ruben Dias header that was saved and a late Raphael Guerreiro drive that struck the post.

    Kevin De Bruyne’s fitness may dominate headlines in the build-up to the Italy showdown in Munich after he limped off moments after half-time, and Belgium also lost Eden Hazard to a complaint late on.

    The world’s highest-ranked side may have key holes to fill but again they have showed they possess the grit to complement their undoubted quality.

  • Euro 2020: Belgium target first win against Portugal in 32 years ahead round of 16 clash

    Euro 2020: Belgium target first win against Portugal in 32 years ahead round of 16 clash

    One of the standout ties in the last-16 stage of Euro 2020 will take place in Seville on Sunday evening, with Belgium, who have a 100% record at this summer’s competition, facing champions Portugal.

    Belgium breezed into the knockout round by winning all three of their Group B fixtures to top the section, while Portugal ultimately qualified from Group F in third behind France and Germany.

    Belgium might have topped their section with three wins from three matches, but Roberto Martinez’s side face a Portuguese side they have not beaten for over 30 years.

    The last time Belgium defeated Portugal was in 1989 during qualifiers for the 1990 FIFA World Cup.

    Playing at home, Belgium triumphed 3-0 in the second-leg of the qualifiers after the first-leg ended 1-1.

    Since the victory 32 years ago, Belgium are winless in their last five fixtures against Portugal, losing three and drawing two.

    Both teams last met in a friendly in June 2018 which ended in a goalless draw.

    Martinez’s team selection for this match is going to be fascinating, but it is expected to be Kevin De Bruyne and Eden Hazard alongside Lukaku in the final third of the field, leaving Dries Mertens on the bench.

    Dedryck Boyata should get the nod over Jason Denayer to start in the back three, while Thorgan Hazard is likely to keep out Yannick Carrasco to feature as the left-sided wing-back for the Red Devils.

    Youri Tielemans was an unused substitute against Finland but will be back in the side for this match, with Witsel also potentially featuring in the middle of the park, which would allow De Bruyne to form part of the front three.

    As for Portugal, Nelson Semedo had been expected to miss out with the problem that he picked up against France in the latter stages of Wednesday’s contest, but the defender has trained ahead of his match and should get the nod once again, with Diogo Dalot on standby.

    Danilo Pereira is also a doubt with the blow to the face that he suffered against the world champions, but the midfielder is being tipped to overcome the issue to feature as part of a midfield three.

    As a result, Bruno Fernandes could again be named on the bench, with Santos likely to stick with the 4-3-3 formation that worked well on Wednesday.

    William Carvalho and Ruben Neves are options to replace Danilo – who trained on Friday – but a switch to a 4-2-3-1 formation could also be in the mind of the manager, which would allow Fernandes to return to the starting side but potentially make the holders more open against a dangerous Belgium outfit.

  • What Ronaldo and I discussed at end of Euro clash – Benzema

    What Ronaldo and I discussed at end of Euro clash – Benzema

    Real Madrid striker Karim Benzema was happy to see former teammate Cristiano Ronaldo last night.

    Benzema caught up with the Juventus star at the end of France’s 2-2 draw with Portugal in their final Euroa 2020 group game.

    Benzema said, “It’s nice to see him again, after the long way we have come up together …

    “We played eight-nine years as the front two at Real Madrid, we scored goals, won trophies.

    “We exchanged, we wished each other good luck for the future in the club and national team and especially to continue to have fun on the field and continue to make a difference.”

  • Mourinho names Portugal ghost player in Euro 2020 squad

    Mourinho names Portugal ghost player in Euro 2020 squad

    Roma manager, Jose Mourinho, has claimed Portugal midfielder Bruno Fernandes has ghosted at Euro 2020.

    According to him, Fernandes has taken up space on the pitch but “not playing”.

    Mourinho admits the Manchester United man has “incredible potential”, but isn’t showing the same abilities he usually offers at club level.

    “Portugal at its highest level can beat anyone,” Mourinho said on talkSPORT.

    “But we need to play with 11 players, in these two matches, Bruno Fernandes was on the pitch but not playing.

    “I hope he turns up against France because he’s a player with incredible potential.”

    He added: “Portugal has three fantastic attacking players, Bernardo Silva, Cristiano [Ronaldo] and [Diogo] Jota.

    “We need that connection, but until now Bruno is not playing.”

  • Man City defender now the best in the world – Mourinho

    Man City defender now the best in the world – Mourinho

    Roma coach Jose Mourinho has declared Manchester City defender Ruben Dias the best in the world.

    Ahead of Portugal’s Euro 2020 opener, Mourinho has described Dias as the best centre-back in the world .

    Mourinho told TalkSPORT: “I think Ruben Dias is the best centre-back in the world now, maybe.

    “I would say that Ruben with this step to the Premier League is getting a different knowledge and experience of competitiveness.

    “I think he’s a fantastic centre-back.”

  • Euro 2020: Ronaldo breaks record in Portugal win

    Euro 2020: Ronaldo breaks record in Portugal win

    Cristiano Ronaldo became the top scorer in men’s European Championship history as Portugal beat Hungary in front of more than 60,000 fans in Budapest.

    Ronaldo converted an 87th-minute penalty for his 10th goal in the competition, overtaking France’s Michel Platini on nine goals.

    His 11th came only a few minutes later when he took the ball around goalkeeper Peter Gulacsi for Portugal’s third.

    Hungary had looked on course for an unlikely draw until they conceded three goals late on.

    The deadlock was broken in the 84th minute when Raphael Guerreiro’s shot with the outside of the foot took a massive deflection off defender Willi Orban to break Hungary’s brave resistance.

    The other Group F teams are World Cup holders France and former champions Germany and they meet in Munich in Tuesday’s late game.

  • I was offered England and Portugal jobs – Mourinho

    I was offered England and Portugal jobs – Mourinho

    New Roma coach Jose Mourinho admits he’s been offered major national team jobs.

    Mourinho says he was offered both the England and Portugal posts during his career.

    He told The Sun: “England when I left Chelsea, but I realised that it was too early for me.

    “Portugal when I was in Real Madrid. It was a crazy bid for a part-time job.

    “It’s the kind of job I think I’ll enjoy later.”

  • I’m more motivated than ever for the Euros – Ronaldo

    I’m more motivated than ever for the Euros – Ronaldo

    Portugal’s Cristiano Ronaldo is beginning his fifth European Championship with unbridled enthusiasm.

    “I am at this Euros as if it were the first. I feel as motivated or more motivated than I did in 2004 at my first European Championship,” the 36-year-old told the Portuguese federation’s magazine ‘360’ on Thursday.

    “We are the defending champions and we are again among the contenders for the trophy.

    “There is no point in promising titles or making predictions. What I can promise is that we will go into every game to win,” the Portugal captain added.

    The defending champions begin their tournament against Hungary in Budapest on Tuesday.

    Four days later, Germany will be their opponents in Munich. Ronaldo’s side then face world champions France in Budapest on June 23 in their final Group F game.

    “These are the opponents we have been drawn to play against. We respect all the teams,” Ronaldo said of the tough group. “There are no easy games.”

    Along with former France international Michel Platini, Ronaldo is the top scorer in European Championship history with a total of nine goals.

    The Portuguese completed a final training session in Lisbon on Thursday before flying to their Euro base in Budapest.

  • UEFA EURO: Cristiano Ronaldo Scores As Portugal Breeze Past Israel

    UEFA EURO: Cristiano Ronaldo Scores As Portugal Breeze Past Israel

    Cristiano Ronaldo was on the score-sheet as European champions Portugal beat Israel 4-0 on Wednesday in their final warm-up for the defence of their title.

    Manchester United star Bruno Fernandes bagged twice as Ronaldo and Joao Cancelo added for a comfortable win in Lisbon.

    Ronaldo’s 44th minute strike was his 104th international goal in 175 matches, and leaves him five short of the record held by Iran’s Ali Daei.

    Portugal are in the tricky looking Group F at the Euros with Hungary their first opponent on June 15 before they take on Germany four days later and then the reigning World Cup holders France June 23.

  • How Ronaldo mental strength inspires me – Fernandes

    How Ronaldo mental strength inspires me – Fernandes

    Manchester United midfielder Bruno Fernandes has spoken of how Juventus star Cristiano Ronaldo is a career inspiration.

    The pair will line up together at this summer’s Euros, as Portugal defend their crown, with Ronaldo – who starred at United from 2003 to 2009 – captaining the Seleccao once again.

    Fernandes told the club website: “When Cristiano began to take his first steps in the national team, it was in the Euros in our home country [Euro 2004], so I was nine years old.

    “That year stays with everyone because we lost the final in Portugal, we saw him crying after the final, he was a young boy who was starting to shine and from there I started to watch him.

    “It wasn’t because he plays in my position because that wasn’t the case, but it was the way he worked every day, the mentality he had, the capacity he had to give 100 per cent in every game at a high level, for me it was like a motivation, like you always have to do better.

    “He was scoring goals every game, but game after game he was still trying to improve, get better.”

    And he added it’s Ronaldo’s resilience that he has shown throughout his career that Fernandes applies to his own game.

    He said: “My mentality comes a little bit from understanding what sort of player you want to be. Do you want to be that player who has a good season, and maybe goes up and down, up and down, or do you want to be the player who always wants to be at the top?

    “Okay, you will have bad games for sure, everyone has – Cristiano has had bad games, 100 per cent – but the point is, coming back from a bad game.

    “Coming back with the mentality that is, ‘okay I didn’t play well in that last game and I really need to do well in this one’.

    “The mentality to do better day after day is really important for me. I’m improving a lot because of this, and that was my biggest motivation.”