Denmark welcome Portugal in the UEFA Nations League.
BET BUILDER FOR THE GAME :
Ronaldo over 2+ shots , Bruno over 2+ shots , Portugal or draw @ 2.20
Denmark fell to Spain 1-0, unable to create any threat to their goal net. The Spanish registered 25 shots and five big chances, while the Danes only recorded three shots in total.
It took a rocket from Martin Zubimendi to decide the outcome in the 79th minute. The second encounter was better but still ended in a 1-2 defeat. It was an even match as Denmark played with a more balanced approach.
The hosts finished their Nations League campaign with a 0-0 draw against Serbia, knowing that avoiding defeat would secure their qualification.
Andreas Christensen will miss the March break due to an injury.
Denmark predicted line-up vs Portugal (4-3-3): Schmeichel; Maehle, Vestergaard, Andersen, Roerslev; Nörgaard, Højbjerg, Eriksen; Damsgaard, Hojlund, Biereth.
In their last encounter, Portugal dropped points again against Croatia (1-1). They had already secured first place, while their rivals needed the three points to qualify. Joao Felix opened the scoring but Gvardiol equalized in the second half. The Croatians dominated the match after the half-time break.
Portugal Predicted line-up vs Denmark (4-3-3): José Sá; Nuno Mendes, Dias, A.Silva, Dalot; Vitinha, Palhinha, Fernandes; Leão, Ronaldo, B.Silva
Portugal qualified comfortably from a relatively weak group and are the favourites to win against the Danes this Thursday. Although the visitors might have a more cohesive team, they lack the individual quality to match the hosts’ firepower.
With Andreas Christensen injured, Denmark’s defense will be weaker. With multiple Portugal players in top form—Vitinha, Fernandes, and Nuno Mendes—they are expected to win the event.
Cristiano Ronaldo has been criticized for his move to Al-Nassr, with fans believing he went there for money. Although the move was a major breakthrough for Middle-Eastern football, even local fans have started to criticise the Portuguese. Al-Nassr’s supporters have been attending fewer and fewer games.
However, it’s a different story with Portugal. Ronaldo, the veteran who leads the country, remains the most respected footballer. With Denmark struggling defensively without Christensen, Ronaldo will receive plenty of service from Vitinha and Leão. This should ensure Ronaldo gets enough chances in the box despite his age
Portugal, on the other hand, are undefeated in the previous six games in all competitions and will continue relying on experienced attacker Cristiano Ronaldo. Man City defender Ruben Dias is back to the squad, while Sporting Lisbon’s teenager Geovany Quenda has received his first call-up. Anyhow, away win should be considered as Roberto Martinez can count on key players for Thursday’s showdown
Tight quarter-final tie expected
Denmark underwhelmed with their lack of attacking potency at Euro 2024 last year and it could be a similar story when they take on Portugal in the quarter-finals of the Nations League.
The Danes squeezed into the knockout stages of the Nations League from Group A4, finishing above Serbia and Switzerland but only winning two of their six games.
Goals were hard to come by in that group campaign with just seven netted and they drew a blank in their last game against Serbia in November, drawing 0-0.
Staying compact and tough to break down is a key part of Denmark’s game under head coach Brian Riemer and they will want to stay in this two-legged tie for as long as possible, so expect Portugal’s opportunities to be limited.
