Portugal faces France tonight in Euro2024
Match follows Portugal's victory against Slovenia, after goalkeeper Diogo Costa saved all three slovenia shots in penalty shootout
The Portuguese team will face France today in the quarter-finals of Euro2024 football championship in Hamburg, Germany.
On SIC NOTÍCIAS, pundit José Carlos Freitas considered that Portugal’s chances of beating France “are as real as France’s chances of beating Portugal”.
He notes that things did not “go as well as expected” for the national team, but points out that the same can be said about the French team, which reached the quarter-finals with just one goal scored from a penalty and two own goals.
Key France star to miss match
French midfielder, Adrien Rabiot, has been ruled out of France's Euro 2024 quarter-final clash after he picked up a yellow card following a rough challenge on Belgium's Jeremy Doku in the first half of their round-of-16 tie.
The 29-year-old was left disappointed after the game as he claimed that he felt disgusted for the irresponsible tackle he made which resulted in his suspension from the all-important knockout clash. However, Rabiot remained confident that in his absence, the midfielders on the bench are worthy enough to take his place in the starting lineup.
Speaking to RMC Sport, the French star said, "I'm disgusted to have taken this yellow. I find that the refereeing at the start of the match was a little limited. But I have confidence in the guys on the bench, I will be behind them."
It’s worth remembering that Didier Deschamps opted to call up 25 rather than 26 players and, if there are no injuries, he'll have 24 players available for this Friday's match in Hamburg between the Euro 2016 finalists - where fortune smiled on the Portuguese, with a goal from Éder in extra time (109').
Some history
Portugal will meet France for the fifth time in a knockout stage match at a major tournament, in the quarter-finals of Euro2024, eight years after their triumph over the French in the final of Euro2016.
On 10 July 2016, at the Stade de France in Saint-Denis, a goal from substitute Éder from the middle of the park in the 109th minute earned the 'Quinas' the biggest title in their history, thanks to a 1-0 win after extra time.
With this triumph, Portugal ended their title drought and also their record against the French, who had previously beaten them in three semi-finals, at the 1984 and 2000 European Championships and the 2006 World Cup.