Portugal vs Czech Republic
European Championship this season
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Portugal to begin Euro 2024 campaign against Czechia.
As Portugal, armed with a 100% qualifying record, and Czechia, riding a five-game winning streak, clash at the Red Bull Arena, both teams aim to set their Euro 2024 journey on the right path in this intriguing Group E opener.
Portugal
Portugal will begin their Euro 2024 campaign with a game against Czechia on Tuesday. The one-time European champions, from their triumph in 2016, navigated the qualifying round with ease, achieving a 100% record by winning all ten games.
Cristiano Ronaldo led the scoring for Portugal, netting 10 goals, just four behind Lukaku, the top scorer for the qualifying round. Interestingly, Portugal has alternated between wins and losses in their last five games leading up to the Euros, with defeats against Slovakia and Croatia.
This encounter will mark the fourth time Portugal has faced Czechia in the UEFA Euro Championship since 1996. Portugal aims to start strong on Tuesday as they look to progress from the group stage once again, having succeeded in all eight of their previous European appearances.
"I think it's more a responsibility. If we have the quality, we have to prove that we can win, that we can do what we have to do on the pitch," defender Dalot expressed ahead of the match. A 4-3-3 formation featuring Rafael Leão, Cristiano Ronaldo, and Bernardo Silva in attack is anticipated against Czechia.
Czech Republic
Czechia surprisingly have a five-game winning streak in the run-up to Euro 2024, with a 2-1 win over North Macedonia being their most recent victory. The Group E runners-up, who secured four wins, three draws, and one loss in the qualifying round, will be keen to get off to a flying start despite facing Portugal.
“Quick counterattacks. Once they lose the ball, the pitch is huge and they're quite spread out, so in those moments there's an opportunity for a quick break,” Patrik Schick said, offering a glimpse into Czechia's strategy. “But of course, it's just a plan. It's always different once you are out on the pitch,” he added.
The one-time winners, under the banner of Czechoslovakia in 1976, will be making their eighth successive European Championship appearance and their 11th overall. On Tuesday, they will look to end a four-game losing streak against Portugal as they kick off their Euro 2024 campaign.
A 3—5—2 formation with Jan Kuchta and Patrik Schick leading the attack is expected against Portugal. Czechia will be aiming to translate their successful build-up into a strong performance on the big stage.
Team form
Showing the latest five games—giving you a quick look at recent performance trends. Teams in good form tend to do well in the next match.
Team Comparison
Side-by-side assessment of team statistics, including goals, attacks, and more. This allows you to directly compare key performance metrics. Analyzing these stats can reveal patterns and strengths that might influence the outcome.