Portugal and France are set to face off in the quarter-final of the European Championship on Friday evening.
The victor of this encounter will advance to face either Spain or Germany in a semi-final just days later.
Portugal had a challenging match against Slovenia, which extended into extra time and was decided by penalties.
Cristiano Ronaldo had a spot-kick saved during extra time, but the team's fortunes turned when goalkeeper Diego Costa saved all three Slovenian penalties, securing a dramatic shootout victory.
Earlier, France managed to edge past Belgium within regular time, thanks to a deflected goal by Randal Kolo Muani off Jan Vertonghen.
Despite the win, France's performance was considered underwhelming, and they will look to improve against Portugal.
Date, Kick-Off Time, and Venue
The Portugal vs. France match is scheduled for an 8 PM BST kick-off on Friday, July 5, 2024. The game will be held at the Volksparkstadion in Hamburg.
Team News
Portugal's recent grueling 120-plus minutes against Slovenia will likely affect their performance in this quarter-final. Head coach Roberto Martinez may need to adjust his attacking and midfield strategies.
Additionally, there are concerns about whether 41-year-old Pepe can effectively defend against Kylian Mbappe with such a short recovery period.
For France, head coach Didier Deschamps brought Antoine Griezmann back into the starting lineup against Belgium, and he is expected to continue in this role.
Kylian Mbappe will still wear his protective mask, but France will miss Adrien Rabiot, who is suspended due to accumulated yellow cards.
Head-to-Head History
Portugal has historically struggled against France, losing all ten matches between 1978 and 2015. However, the past four encounters have been more balanced, including a 2-2 draw in the Euro 2020 group stage.
Portugal wins: 6
Draws: 3
France wins: 19
Potential Starting XI
Maignan
Hernandez, Saliba, Upamecano and Kounde.
Tchouameni
Rabiot and Kante
Mbappe, Thuram and Griezmann.
Portugal's Potential XI
Costa
Mendes, Pepe, Dias and Cancelo.
Palhinha, Vitinha.
Leao, Fernandes and Bernardo
Ronaldo