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[monks data]
Portugal national football team
Euro Champ Qualifying | Group Stage
Sep 11, 2023 at 7.45pm UK
Estadio Municipal de Loule
Luxembourg national football team

Portugal
9 - 0
Luxembourg

Inacio (12', 45+4'), Ramos (18', 33'), Jota (57', 77'), Horta (67'), Fernandes (83'), Felix (88')
FT(HT: 4-0)

Thill (54'), Mahmutovic (65'), Gerson (76')

Preview: Portugal vs. Luxembourg - prediction, team news, lineups

Sports Mole previews Monday's European Championship Qualifying clash between Portugal and Luxembourg, including predictions, team news and possible lineups.

Portugal will be bidding to strengthen their already-firm grip on top spot in Group J when they continue their Euro 2024 qualification campaign at home to Luxembourg on Monday night.

Roberto Martinez's side have picked up 15 points from five matches to lead the section, five points ahead of third-placed Luxembourg, who are very much in qualification contention at this stage.


Match preview

Portugal's Bruno Fernandes celebrates scoring their first goal with Bernardo Silva on September 8, 2023© Reuters

Bruno Fernandes's 43rd-minute goal was enough for Portugal to beat Slovakia on Friday evening, with the result moving Martinez's team onto 15 points from their five matches in Group J.

Portugal, who have also scored 15 goals in the section and are yet to concede, are five points clear of second-placed Slovakia and also five ahead of Luxembourg in third on the same number of matches.

A Selecao das Quinas have qualified for the finals of each of the last seven European Championships, famously winning the competition in 2016, in addition to reaching the final in 2004.

Portugal's last-16 exit at Euro 2020 actually proved to be their worst performance in the finals of a European Championship, but they did improve to make the quarter-finals of the 2022 World Cup.

Martinez's side are seemingly breezing towards qualification for Euro 2024, and it would certainly not be a surprise to see them lift the trophy considering the quality in their squad.

Luxembourg players celebrate after the match on June 20, 2023© Reuters

Luxembourg, meanwhile, are bidding to qualify for the finals of a major tournament for the first time in their history, and it has been a strong qualification campaign thus far.

Indeed, the Red Lions have picked up 10 points from their five matches, courtesy of a record of three wins, one draw and one defeat, to sit third in the table, level on points with second-placed Slovakia.

This is already Luxembourg's joint-best European Championship qualification campaign in terms of points, and it would be some story if they were able to secure a spot in the finals of the competition.

Luc Holtz's side will enter this match off the back of a 3-1 victory over Iceland, which proved to be their third straight success in the section, also overcoming Liechtenstein and Bosnia-Herzegovina.

Luxembourg suffered a 6-0 loss to Portugal in the reverse match at the end of March, though, and they will be under no illusions when it comes to the size of the task facing them on Monday night.

Portugal Euro Champ Qualifying form:


Portugal form (all competitions):


Luxembourg Euro Champ Qualifying form:


Luxembourg form (all competitions):



Team News

Portugal's Cristiano Ronaldo celebrates scoring against Liechtenstein on March 24, 2023© Reuters

Luxembourg's recent improvement means that Portugal boss Martinez is unlikely to remove any of his big-hitters for this match, as it has the potential to be a tricky contest.

As a result, it would not be a surprise to see close to the same XI that took to the field for the game against Slovakia, although a certain Cristiano Ronaldo will be absent.

Ronaldo has scored five times since Martinez's introduction as head coach, with the 38-year-old very much still a vital player for his country at this stage of his career, but the yellow card that he picked up against Slovakia will rule him out.

Pedro Neto, Goncalo Ramos, Joao Felix and Diogo Jota are among the attacking options hoping to come into the side, and it is likely to be Ramos who is given the nod.

Luxembourg, meanwhile, have not reported any injury problems from their 3-1 success over Iceland.

Danel Sinani is the leading goalscorer in the squad with 11, and he is once again expected to start in a deeper position for the visitors on Tuesday night.

Alessio Curci should lead the line for Luxembourg, with Yvandro Borges Sanches operating off the left, while Spartak Moscow's Christopher Martins is set to earn his 61st cap in midfield.


Portugal possible starting lineup:
Costa; Dalot, A Silva, Dias, Cancelo; Vitinha, Palhinha, Fernandes; B Silva, Ramos, Leao

Luxembourg possible starting lineup:
Moris; M Martins, Mahmutovic, Chanot, Pinto; Sinani, Barreiro, C Martins, Olesen, Sanches; Curci


SM words green background

We say: Portugal 2-0 Luxembourg

Luxembourg deserve huge credit for their recent performances and results in the section, but it is very difficult to back them to avoid defeat in this match. Portugal are looking strong under Martinez and have enough quality to comfortably make it six wins from their six games in Group J.



For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.


Top tip

Our expert tipster partners at Sporita.com are predicting under 3.5 goals in this match. Click here to find out what else they are predicting for this game and for more of their tried-and-tested football tips.Under 3.5:data


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Game History

How you voted: Portugal vs Luxembourg

Portugal
82.8%
Draw
14.9%
Luxembourg
2.3%
87
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Portugal coach Roberto Martinez reacts on March 23, 2023
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Group A

TeamPWDLPTS
Q Spain Spain870121
Q Scotland flag Scotland852117
3 Norway Norway832311
4 Georgia Georgia82248
5 Cyprus Cyprus80080

Group B

TeamPWDLPTS
Q France France871022
Q Netherlands Netherlands860218
3 Greece Greece841313
4 Ireland Rep. Ireland82066
5 Gibraltar flag Gibraltar80080

Group C

TeamPWDLPTS
Q England flag England862020
Q Italy Italy842214
3 Ukraine Ukraine842214
4 Macedonia N. Macedonia82248
5 Malta flag Malta80080

Group D

TeamPWDLPTS
Q Turkey Turkey852117
Q Croatia Croatia851216
3 Wales flag Wales833212
4 Armenia Armenia82248
5 Latvia Latvia81073

Group E

TeamPWDLPTS
Q Albania national flag Albania843115
Q Czech Republic Czech Republic843115
3 Poland Poland832311
4 Republic of Moldova Moldova824210
5 Faroe Islands Faroe Islands80262

Group F

TeamPWDLPTS
Q Belgium Belgium862020
Q Austria Austria861119
3 Sweden Sweden831410
4 Azerbaijan Azerbaijan82157
5 Estonia Estonia80171

Group G

TeamPWDLPTS
Q Hungary Hungary853018
Q Serbia Serbia842214
3 Montenegro Montenegro832311
4 Lithuania Lithuania81346
5 Bulgaria Bulgaria80444

Group H

TeamPWDLPTS
Q Denmark Denmark1071222
Q Slovenia Slovenia1071222
3 Finland Finland1060418
4 Kazakhstan Kazakhstan1060418
5 Northern Ireland flag N. Ireland103079
6 San Marino flag San Marino1000100

Group I

TeamPWDLPTS
Q Romania Romania1064022
Q Switzerland Switzerland1045117
3 Israel Israel1043315
4 Belarus Belarus1033412
5 Kosovo flag Kosovo1025311
6 Andorra flag Andorra100282

Group J

TeamPWDLPTS
Q Portugal Portugal10100030
Q Slovakia Slovakia1071222
3 Luxembourg flag Luxembourg1052317
4 Iceland Iceland1031610
5 Bosnia Bosnia H'vina103079
6 Liechtenstein flag Liechtenstein1000100


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