Portugal vs Czech Republic predictions: Goals not expected to be an issue in Leipzig
- Portugal were the top scorers in Euro 2024 qualifying
- Czech Republic have scored 16 goals across their last five games
- Recommended bet: Over 3.5 goals in the match
Portugal and Czech Republic will be the final two teams to get their Euro 2024 campaigns underway when they meet at the Leipzig Stadium in their Group F opener on Tuesday.
Considered one of the pre-tournament favourites, Portugal breezed through qualifying and boast a wealth of attacking talent in the likes of Bruno Fernandes, Rafael Leao and, of course, Cristiano Ronaldo.
The Czechs' were less spectacular in booking their place at the finals but they have been building plenty of momentum following the appointment of Ivan Hasek as head coach at the start of the year.
Team news
Portugal head coach Roberto Martinez has a star-studded squad to choose from, with the likes of Leao, Joao Felix and Diogo Jota vying to join Ronaldo in attack.
Two players that will be missing for Portugal are Bayern Munich left-back Raphael Guerreiro and Al Nassr midfielder Otavio, who have both been ruled out of the tournament through injury.
Czech Republic have also been dealt a blow in the lead up to the finals, with midfielder Michal Sadilek dropping out the squad due to a leg injury. West Ham star Tomas Soucek will captain the team in Germany.
The stats
Portugal boasted the best record of any nation in qualifying, winning all 10 of their matches, scoring the most goals (36) and conceding the fewest (two).
Cristiano Ronaldo netted 10 times during qualifying and is the all-time leading scorer in men's international football after taking his tally to 130 with a brace in Portugal's final warm-up game against the Republic of Ireland.
Czech Republic finished second in their qualifying group behind Albania, but they are heading into the tournament on a five-match winning run, four of which have come under returning head coach Hasek.
These two sides have met on three previous occasions at European Championship finals, the Czech's winning the first of those — a quarter-final tie at Euro 96 — but it was Portugal that emerged triumphant in the groups at Euro 2008 and in the last eight at Euro 2012.
The Selecao were also winners the last time the two sides met, with goals from Fernandes and Jota, as well as a brace by Diogo Dalot helping them to a 4-0 UEFA Nations League success in September 2022.
Prediction
Portugal are being tipped by many to go all the way at Euro 2024 and they should have too much for the Czech Republic in their Group F opener, although they are heavy odds-on favourites so there could be more value in looking at the goals market.
Martinez's side were the top scorers in qualifying with 36 goals and they have put three past Ireland, four on Finland and netted five against Sweden in friendlies since the turn of the year.
With arguably the best attacking options at the tournament, Portugal should have no problem scoring, but at the other end they have not been so hot of late, conceding twice in four of their last five games.
That will give the Czechs hope of contributing to a high-scoring contest, especially as confidence should be high in their camp following a five-game winning run that has seen them score 16 times, including putting seven past Malta in their penultimate friendly before this tournament.
This could prove to be one of the most open matches of the group stage and it is easy to see the two teams scoring four or more goals between them.
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