PREVIEW
The forward lines of France and Portugal need to fire up again for their quarterfinal meeting at the European Championship on Friday, where every little advantage will likely be crucial in a tight contest.
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The teams clash at the Volksparkstadion in Hamburg in a third meeting in as many Euro tournaments, this time chasing a semifinal slot against either Germany or Spain in Munich next week.
France has not scored in open play in its last five internationals while Portugal has failed to find the net in its past two outings at Euro 2024, needing the tear-filled trauma of a penalty shootout to win a last eight place.
There is no doubting the quality on both sides, with Kylian Mbappe captaining the French and Cristiano Ronaldo bringing record-breaking achievement to Portugal.
Ronaldo and 41-year-old centre back Pepe remain from the Portugal side which upset France in Paris in the Euro 2016 final, while the French had Antoine Griezmann and Olivier Giroud in their lineup and Kingsley Coman and N’Golo Kante on the bench.
The two countries also met in the group phase at Euro 2020, drawing 2-2 in Budapest in a match in which three of the four goals came from the penalty spot.
The margins will likely be fine again and the outcome possibly determined by a moment of genius. For that, Portugal are likely to keep Ronaldo in place while French eyes will be firmly fixed on Mbappe finally delivering.
PORTUGAL VS FRANCE PREDICTED LINEUPS
Portugal predicted lineup (4-3-3): Costa; Cancelo, Dias, Pepe, Mendes; Palhinha, Vitinha; Silva, Fernandes, Leao; Ronaldo
France predicted lineup(4-2-3-1): Maignan; Kounde, Saliba, Upamecano, Hernandez; Kante, Tchouameni; Dembele, Griezmann, Mbappe; Thuram
(With inputs from Reuters)
