Famous Ukrainian journalist and commentator Roberto Morales shared his forecast for the quarterfinal match of Euro 2024 between Portugal and France.
- These teams played differently in the group tournament, but what they have in common is that both left an impression of underachievement.
Portugal has a huge potential. Eight years ago, during the European triumph, France did not have so many strong and bright players in its lineup. After the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, the national team was led by former Belgian coach Roberto Martinez. Under his leadership, Portugal brilliantly passed the qualifying tournament and was the only team in Europe that not only did not lose a single point, but also conceded only two goals. It is not surprising that on the eve of the tournament this team was among the main favorites. The defeat by Georgia (although it did not change anything globally) and the agony in the 1/8 finals against the Slovenes forced us to overestimate the current strength of Martinez's team.
The French national team cannot score from the field in the current Euro, but in each of its four matches it acted as the first number, shot more on goal and created more dangerous moments than the opponents. Sooner or later, quantity has to turn into quality. Didier Deschamps' team, as an experienced stablemate, can roll to the finish line. In addition to implementation, there are questions about the experiments of the coaching staff, which changes the team's scheme of play.
In the match of the 1/8 finals, the French returned to the diamond in the center of the field, completely dominated the Belgians, scored 20 shots on goal, only two of them on target, the same number as the opponent. However, the strength of Mbappe and company is undeniable, so Le Bleu fans demand the maximum result from their favorites," Morales said.