Euro 2024: Portugal and France in quarterfinal clash of the Titans.
Under the bright lights of Volksparkstadion, Portugal and France prepare to write the next chapter of their storied rivalry, each seeking a coveted semi-final berth in this Euro 2024 quarter-final showdown.
Portugal
Portugal were the favourites heading into the round of 16 clash with Slovenia, but they needed to work their socks off before relying on the heroics of goalkeeper Diogo Costa to advance via penalty shoot-outs. An emotional Cristiano Ronaldo had a golden opportunity to put Portugal ahead in extra time but missed from the penalty spot. Benjamin Šeško equally fluffed his lines at the other end of the pitch.
With the game goalless after extra time, it was Costa who grabbed the headlines after becoming the first goalkeeper to save three penalties in a single penalty shootout at the European Championship. Roberto Martínez’s side [WWWLD] will be meeting France in the quarter-final this Friday in what could be described as a clash of the titans. It will be the fifth meeting between both sides.
Portugal are unbeaten in the last two episodes after losing the first two meetings. This will be Portugal's seventh quarter-final appearance at the Euros, the most of any side since the round was introduced in 1996. Ronaldo, who is yet to open his goal-scoring account inside regular playing time despite taking the most shots [20], is expected to spearhead the attack in the now-familiar 4-2-3-1 formation.
France
France edged Belgium out in a tight encounter, thanks to a late Jan Vertonghen own goal, which sealed a 1-0 victory for Les Blues. Interestingly, France are yet to score from open play at Euro 2024, relying on two own goals and a Kylian Mbappé penalty for their three goals in the tournament.
France, who have now reached the quarterfinals in six of the last seven major tournaments, aim to reach the semifinals for the fourth time in the last five major tournaments. Didier Deschamps' side have lost just one of their last 14 games against Portugal, though it was the heartbreaking Euro 2016 final defeat.
Unbeaten in their last five matches, France will be facing their biggest test yet on Friday, marking the 18th anniversary of these teams meeting in the semi-finals of the 2006 FIFA World Cup. After his fine performance against Belgium, Randal Kolo Muani could replace Marcus Thuram in the starting XI, claiming a spot alongside Mbappé and Antoine Griezmann in the 4-3-3 formation.
Meanwhile, Adrien Rabiot is suspended and could be replaced by Eduardo Camavinga. France's resilience and strategic adjustments make this an anticipated encounter.
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.