Tuesday’s Euro 2024 programme throws up some interesting games and big-name players. The highlight comes from the Leipzig Stadium, where Portugal gets their campaign up and running with a game against the Czech Republic. The Portuguese are former winners of this competition and will believe they are good enough to repeat the feat in Germany. Will they live up to the high expectations of their fans and realise their potential? We can’t wait to find out, as this Portuguese side has much to offer.
The Czech Republic boasts plenty of valuable experience in this competition and has proven many times in the past that it is a good match for any opponent at this level. Will they spring an early surprise by beating Portugal and landing all three points to blow Group F wide open at the first opportunity? The Czechs are capable of winning this game but must be at their strongest in defence and attack.
- Location: Leipzig
- Stadium: Leipzig Stadium
- Date: 18 June 2024
- Kick-Off Time: 21:00 CEST (20:00 BST)
- Referee: Marco Guida (ITA)
- VAR: Massimiliano Irrati (ITA)
Portugal Team News
Portugal warmed up for their assault on Euro 2024 with an impressive friendly win over a respected and capable Finland earlier this month. It was a game most pundits backed the Portuguese to win comfortably, and they did as expected, strolling to an eye-catching and morale-boosting 4-2 final score.
Goals from Ruben Dias, Dogo Jota, and Bruno Fernandes ensured the win, but the coaching staff will want to fix a leaky defence that conceded two goals inside five second-half minutes. Concentration is key to success for Portugal.
Portugal beat Ireland 3-0 in midweek with the goals scored by Felix and a Ronaldo double, all netted inside an hour. CR7 is injury free and ready to make an impact on Euro 2024.
Czech Republic Team News
The Czech Republic reeled off an impressive unbeaten run before boarding a plane to Germany. That purple patch included wins over the Faroe Islands, Moldova, Norway, and Armenia, but they did finish 1-1 with Poland in a Euro 2024 qualifier late last year.
The Czechs have big-game experience, a hard-working squad, and an experienced coaching staff, meaning they have every right to make grand plans for this summer. Could they escape the group and secure knockout football? It’s certainly possible, and fans will get a better understanding of the Czechs’ chances following this game.
The Czech Republic arrives on the back of a five-game winning streak, and they beat North Macedonia 2-1 last Monday before heading to Germany. But they’ll be missing midfielder Michal Schick due to injury.
Portugal vs Czech Republic H2H Record and Key Numbers
I always like to lean heavily on the stats when reviewing a fixture and offering my big-game predictions. Portugal vs the Czech Republic is no different, and the head-to-head stats make for interesting reading. The record books show these teams have met five times previously, with Portugal winning four and the Czech Republic picking up the spare.
Armchair fans will be delighted to learn these teams have never finished level, but the fixture has already produced a dozen goals. Portugal breezed to a 4-0 away win in the most recent game, and their supporters would love anything near a repeat performance.
Possible Lineups
- Portugal (4-3-3): Costa – Cancelo, Pepe, Dias, Mendes – Palhinha, Vitinha, Fernandes – Leao, Ronaldo, Bernardo
- Czech Republic (3-5-2): Stanek – Holes, Hranac, Krejci – Coufal, Soucek, Provod, Barak, Jurasek – Kuchta, Schick
Where to Watch Portugal vs Czech Republic Euro 2024 – TV and Online Live Streaming
You can watch this game live on BBC and the BBC iPlayer from 20:00 GMT on Tuesday. In Portugal, fans can watch the game on Sport TV 1, and in the Czech Republic, the game will be broadcast on CT Sport.
Prediction
Portugal is the pre-game favourite with betting traders to win this fixture, and we’re happy to follow that train of thought. The head-to-head stats show Portugal has been at its best in past meetings with the Czech Republic, and the current squad looks good enough to build on those victories and add three other important points. The Czech won’t be easy to break down, but I expect the Portuguese to get there in the end.
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