Playing a repeat of the 2016 final, Portugal rub shoulders with France in the quarterfinal meeting of Euro 2024 at Dusseldorf. The winners will take on Spain or Germany in the semis.
POR vs FRA Match Details
Date: Thursday, 4 July 2024 / Friday, 5 July 2024
Time: 21:00 (CET), 00:30 (IST)
Venue: Dusseldorf Arena, Dusseldorf
POR vs FRA Match Preview
Slovenia made life uncomfortable for another footballing giant in the competition as Portugal was saved by Diogo Costa’s brilliant day in between the sticks. The FC Porto keeper brilliantly denied Benjamin Sesko from pulling off an upset in the scoreless 120 minutes before stopping all three penalties faced in the shootout dramatically to keep his fort intact, becoming the first to do so in the competition history. Cristiano Ronaldo also missed his penalty in normal time, still without a goal in his bag, but it did not cost Selecao as they reached the quarterfinal for the seventh time. The last time the team made it to this stage back in 2016, they won the competition defeating the opponent they will face next. While France has also not shown their A game, Roberto Martinez's side worry will be depending on the 39-year-old frontman to get them goals which is not happening. Finding scoring boots is difficult after drawing a blank in the last two games including the 2-0 shock loss to Georgia and with France keeping five clean sheets in previous six matches. Still, Portugal will want to use the unfavourite tag to their advantage in this fixture as they did eight years ago.
For the second time in the competition, an own goal decided the victory for France as Randal Kolo Muani's 85th-minute effort took a wicked deflection off Jan Vertonghen eliminating Belgium from the last-16. Didier Deschamps's side scoreless streak in the competition from open play continued but their fortune will run out if they keep on missing chances as they make it to a sixth quarterfinal. The defence is their strength in Euro 2024 conceding only from Robert Lewandowski's penalty in the last six matches in all competitions. Still seeking revenge for their 2016 final defeat after drawing 2-2 in the previous Euros, Les Bleus is counting on their solidity against a team similarly struggling for goals to make a first semifinal appearance since the title-winning year of 2000. Their marksman Kylian Mbappé has opened his account while Ronaldo is yet to fire and has not scored a goal from open play in the fixture. France has also lost just once since 1975 against the Selecao giving them another record to hold onto before the last-eight fight. Having replaced the disappointment of last-16 elimination in Euro 2020, the two-time winners will now want to bow out from the competition easily again.
Recent Form (all competitions)
POR: WWWWW
FRA: WWWDW
Recent Form (Euro 2024)
POR: WWW
FRA: WDW
POR vs FRA Predicted Lineups
Portugal
Costa; Cancelo, Dias, Pepe, Mendes; Palhinha, Vitinha; Silva, Fernandes, Leao; Ronaldo
France
Maignan; Kounde, Saliba, Upamecano, Hernandez; Kante, Tchouameni; Dembele, Griezmann, Mbappe; Kolo Muani
POR vs FRA head-to-head (overall)
Played - 26
SPN won - 8
Drawn - 9
GER won - 9
POR vs FRA head-to-head (Euros)
Played - 3
SPN won - 2
Drawn - 0
GER won - 1
POR vs FRA Dream11 Match Prediction
Both teams have struggled for goals so the best defence will stand tall in this fixture and France seems to have an advantage in the area. We predict a narrow 1-0 win for Deschamps's side with Portugal facing a third quarter final exit.
POR vs FRA Dream11 Top picks
Captain Pick: Kylian Mbappé
Vice-captain Picks: Cristiano Ronaldo
POR vs FRA Dream11 Team Suggestion
GK: Costa (Cr - 7.5)
DEF: Kounde (8.5), Hernandez (Cr - 8.5), Cancelo (Cr - 8.5)
MID: Griezmann (9), Kante (Cr - 8), Fernandes (Cr - 9), Silva (Cr - 9)
FW: Leao (Cr - 7), Ronaldo (Cr - 9), Mbappe (Cr - 9)
Vice-captain: Cristiano Ronaldo
Captain: Kylian Mbappé
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