Portugal face Slovenia in the Euro 2024 last 16 with Cristiano Ronaldo hoping to open his account and guide the Selecao into the quarter-finals.
Roberto Martinez’s side are one of the favourites in Germany and a last-eight tie with France or Belgium awaits the winner of thisintriguing tie in Dusseldorf. The Selecao must bounce back after a shock loss to Georgia in their final group stage match, but after resting most of his strongest XI, Martinez can call upon a fresh and talented group here, with Ronaldo still to find his best form in the tournament.
Slovenia squeezed through England’s group in third place and will lean on the firepower of Red Bull Salzburg forward Benjamin Sesko here.
Follow all the build-up and team news from Portugal v Slovenia in Frankfurt below.
Portugal v Slovenia TV channel, start time and how to watch Euro 2024 fixture online tonight
With wins over the Czech Republic and Turkey already enough to secure progression to the Round of 16, Roberto Martinez rested a number of his key players against Georgia.
A shock defeat in their final group game has threatened to stall Portugal’s momentum, though, and Slovenia will look to take advantage.
Three draws were enough for Matjaz Kek’s side to advance out of a nip-and-tuck Group C and progress to the knockout rounds of a major tournament for the first time.
Portugal v Slovenia team news and predicted line-ups
Roberto Martinez is likely to bring back those rested against Georgia, with Rafael Leao back available after serving a one-match suspension.
Slovenia have used the same line-up in every match so far, but that run will end here with Erik Janza having picked up a second yellow card of the tournament against England. The left-back is thus banned, with Jure Balkovec likely to deputise.
Predicted line-ups
Portugal XI: Costa; Cancelo, Pepe, Dias, Mendes; Vitinha, Palhinha; Silva, Fernandes, Leao; Ronaldo.
Slovenia XI: Oblak; Karnicnik, Drkusic, Bijol, Balkovec; Stojanovic, Elsnik, Gnezda Cerin, Mlakar; Sesko, Sporar.
The Cristiano Ronaldo circus provokes a serious question over Portugal’s Euro 2024 hopes
As one man took centre stage in a circus, a properly serious team got on with the business of convincingly winning football matches around him. Is this to be the story of Portugal at Euro 2024?
Perhaps it really is the sign of a new team that, as a goal stood at Cristiano Ronaldo’s mercy, he shockingly passed for another player to score. It wasn’t the only moment where he threw back the years. There was also the moment when he beat a defender with a step-over to cross, something he hasn’t actually done in maybe a decade.
For all that, such contributions were largely at the fringes of a game, which was already won by the Selecao’s more influential modern players, though there is no doubting the main event of Roberto Martinez’s side.
Portugal v Slovenia
Good evening and welcome to The Independent’s coverage of tonight’s Euro 2024 action as the round of 16 continues.
England pulled off the great escape on Sunday beating Slovakia 2-1 after extra time thanks to late goal heroics from Jude Bellingham and Harry Kane. In Sunday’s late kick off Spain recovered from going behind versus Georgia to eventually run out 4-1 winners and join Germany, Switzerland and the Three Lions in the last eight.
Today in the last-16, France are vying with Belgium with that match just kicking off now before Cristiano Ronaldo and Portugal see if they can overcome Slovenia.
We’ll have all the team news, build-up and more ahead of the 8pm kick off so stick with us.
Source: independent.co.uk
