Portugal will host Roberto Martínez’s first pain test on Saturday, hosting Bosnia and Herzegovina, in Euro 2024 football qualifiers, though they are the ‘super favorite’ in the Group J clash.
At the Estádio da Luz in Lisbon, after expected impressive victories over Liechtenstein (4-0), Alvalade and Luxembourg (6-0), the new national team coach has his first “serious” game since he took over. Kinas. ‘ team in January, but retains the commitment to emerge victorious.
Bosnia is clearly from a different division than Liechtenstein and Luxembourg, they even played in the final phase of the 2014 World Cup in Brazil and got into League A of the League of Nations, but remain far from the power of the national team. , the clear favorite to win Group J and reserve a spot at the next Euro in Germany as soon as possible.
Historically, in four meetings, Portugal won three and drew only one, which prevented Bosnia in both 2009 (world play-offs) and 2011 (european play-offs) from surviving their first qualification for a major international competition.
On national soil, the national team has always won, in 2009 only with a 1:0 score, but in 2011 with a 6:2 defeat, both in Luz, Saturday game stage.
After the first two rounds, the two teams are at a time when Portugal alone leads the group with six points, and Bosnia is third with three, and already defeated, Slovakia (2-0) is second with four and a candidate to interfere in the qualifying bills.
Only the top two players in the group qualify for the Euro 2024 finals.
On the selection side, Martinez will soon have goal doubts as Rui Patricio, Portugal’s top scoring goalkeeper (107), was in the starting line-up (and scored a nil) in the first two games, while Diogo Costa had to leave his probation due to for physical problems.
On defense, the return of Pepe, who also didn’t start qualifying due to injury, opens the door for Danilo or António Silva to leave, or even both if the national coach chooses to defend with only two centers. back.
Figures such as Bernardo Silva, Bruno Fernandes and captain Cristiano Ronaldo (he scored four goals in his first two games and could be behind his 200 matches in one game) have a guaranteed place in the “eleven” of the Spanish manager who is ahead can give away a well-deserved title Rafael Leau, Milan star, to the detriment of Joao Felix, who had to forget the season first at Atlético Madrid and then at Chelsea.
The meeting is scheduled for 19:45, the referee will be the Italian Davide Massa.
Author: Portuguese
Source: CM Jornal
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