Denmark certainly have teeth, but are they sharp enough to cope with Portugal, who are riding high after their big win over Norway and want to win this group as early as possible?
Denmark and Portugal both celebrated victories in the second round of the UEFA Nations League, although the Red-Whites perhaps had a far easier task than the Selecao das Quintas.
Nevertheless, Denmark beat Wales 2–0, whilst Portugal scraped a hard-fought victory in Oslo in a match in which Norway were by far the better side on the pitch.
Cristiano Ronaldo did not play a single minute against Norway, with Jorge Jesus saying he had considered bringing him on, but the course of the match did not allow for it. So, in all likelihood, we will see him back in action against Denmark.
Meanwhile, the hosts will be relying on their impeccable home form to cope with a far superior opponent.
The Red-Whites have suffered just one defeat in their last 26 home matches since June 2022, with that defeat coming against the new World Champions, Spain.
How the bookies view it: Portugal to win their third in a row
The bookmakers have judged that the Red-Whites’ home form is not enough and that the visitors have a significant advantage.
At the moment, you can back Denmark at 12/5, whilst Portugal are available at around 19/20. A draw is priced at 27/10.
Recent head-to-head: A win each in the previous playoffs
Portugal and Denmark also faced each other in the previous edition of the UNL, when they played a two-legged quarter-final. Although the Selecao das Quintas progressed on that occasion following a dominant home victory, the key point is that Denmark won their home leg.
These were the only two matches between the two nations since 2015, so we do not have much other relevant information.
Players to watch: Joao Felix carried Portugal in the first two rounds
Both teams have top-class players, but Jorge Jesus certainly has more quality at his disposal. Joao Felix, for example, certainly can’t complain about being out of form, having scored in both of the national team’s matches so far.
For Denmark, expectations are always pinned on Rasmus Hojlund, who has had better days, but still managed to score a goal in the defeat against Norway.
Probable line-ups
Denmark: Hermansen, Maehle, Provstgaard, Andersen, Kristensen, Froholdt, Hjulmand, Isaksen, Damsgaard, Daghim, Hojlund
Portugal: Costa, Cancelo, Dias, Veiga, Mendes, R. Neves, J. Neves, Vitinha, Silva, Felix, Ronaldo
Anything else catch the eye?
It’s expected to be a rather tense match, given how closely contested this group is shaping up to be. The match may easily end with just a single goal, as we’ve already seen on several occasions in the closely fought fixtures in the tournament. But I expect we’ll get treated to some action.
I wouldn’t recommend taking a risk by backing a winner, but I do expect to see some cards. In the match between Portugal and Norway, we saw a total of 10 yellow cards, and I don’t expect this match to be any less heated.
GambleAware