The Portuguese football team will focus on Tuesday’s last Nations League Group A2 games against the Czech Republic on Saturday and Spain on September 27 without the retired Rafa.
The Quinas team holds their first training session at the Cidade do Futebol, in Oeiras, from 17:30, after a concentration that must be attended by 25 of the 26 selected, after the called-up Benfica player announced that he was “not ready” to represent the Portuguese national team .
The FPF leadership has already stated that it “respects” the decision of Rafa, who has not yet been replaced by coach Fernando Santos, in contrast to the injured Rafael Guerreiro (Borussia Dortmund), who gave way to Mario Rui (Naples).
After the day’s practice, the players and technical team attend the “Quinas de Ouro” gala, also at Cidade do Futebol, which is scheduled for 21:30.
After four games in June (1-1 in Spain, 4-0 against Switzerland, 2-0 against the Czech Republic and 0-1 in Switzerland), Portugal remain in second place in Group A2 with seven points, one behind Spain, with three more than the Czechs, and four more than the Swiss.
In the last two rounds, the Kinas team will play the Czechs on Saturday in Prague without Joao Cancelo, who will have to serve his sentence, and will play the Spaniards three days later, 27, at the Municipal Stadium. De Braga, both games are scheduled for 19:45 (in Lisbon).
The Portuguese team that won the first edition of the Nations League in 2019 needs to win the group to qualify for the final four of the third edition, with France taking second place in the final against Spain in 2021.
The Nations League Final will take place from 14 to 18 June 2023, with the winners of the four groups of League A and the last players from each group moving on to League B.
List of 25 called up:
– Goalkeepers: Rui Patricio (Roma, Italy), Diogo Costa (Porto) and José Sa (Wolverhampton Wolves, Ing).
– Defenders: Diogo Dalot (Manchester United, international), Joao Cancelo (Manchester City, international), Pepe (Porto), Ruben Dias (Manchester City, international), Thiago Djalo (Lille, France), Danilo Pereira (PSG). Germain, Fra), Mario Rui (Naples, Italy) and Nuno Mendez (Paris Saint-Germain, Fra).
– Midfielders: Ruben Neves (Wolverhampton Wolves, international), Vitinha (Paris Saint-Germain), Bruno Fernandes (Manchester United, international), João Mario (Benfica), Matheus Nunez (Wolverhampton, international) ), William Carvalho (Betis, Spain), Palinha (Fulham, Ing) and Bernardo Silva (Manchester City, Ing).
– Forwards: Pedro Neto (Wolverhampton Wolverhampton), Joao Felix (Atlético, Spain), Diogo Jota (Liverpool, International), Ricardo Horta (Sporting Braga), Cristiano Ronaldo (Manchester United) , national team) and Rafael Leau (“Ak”). ) Milan, Italy).
Author: Lusa
Source: CM Jornal
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