Denmark vs Portugal
Portugal will visit Denmark at Parken Stadium in Copenhagen this Thursday evening for the first leg of their UEFA Nations League quarter-final tie. The winner of this two-legged contest will face Italy or Spain in the semi-finals in June.
Portugal made it this far after going undefeated in Group A1, with four wins and two draws for 14 points. Croatia took the second quarter-final spot with eight points. Meanwhile, Denmark took the second spot in Group A4, with two wins, two draws, and two losses for eight points. Spain finished at the top of their group with 16 points.
This year’s UEFA Nations League offers a rare chance for Denmark or Portugal to win silverware in Europe. Cristiano Ronaldo aims to capitalise on this opportunity to bring glory anew to his country since his chances have only come few and far between in the past few years.
Talking Points
Denmark’s youngsters can take centre stage
Denmark will miss some key veterans, as Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg, Mads Roerslev, Alexander Bah, Kasper Dolberg, and Matt O’Riley have withdrawn this international break. Because of this, head coach Brian Riemer will likely stick to the lineup he used in his first two games in charge of the national team.
Joachim Andersen, Rasmus Kristensen, Jannik Vestergaard, and Joakim Maehle could line up in their back four, with Patrick Dorgu also in consideration. Christian Eriksen could make his 141st appearance in the middle of the park to join Morten Hjulmand and Christian Norgaard. Mikkel Damsgaard, Andreas Skov Olsen, and Rasmus Hojlund are expected to lead in the final third. Moreover, Kasper Schmeichel is the Danes’ first-choice goalkeeper, with Mads Hermansen and Filip Jorgensen as his backups.
If Riemer doesn’t fancy Hojlund starting as the No. 9, he could hand Mika Biereth his national team debut. Since joining AS Monaco last winter, Biereth has been one of the most in-form strikers in Europe, scoring 11 times in 12 matches. Gustav Isaksen and Jonas Wind are also viable forward options for the Danes.
Hojlund finally broke his duck with Manchester United after scoring against Leicester City last Sunday. Dorgu has been a solid winter addition for the Red Devils with his athleticism at the left-back position. And the best part is both have yet to reach 23 years old.
Ronaldo won’t have to do it all for Portugal
Cristiano Ronaldo has been Mr. Portugal for quite some time. He still can score goals with the best of them, as he is fast approaching his 1,000th career goal. However, what makes Portugal viable in the UEFA Nations League is that they’re starting to no longer be over-reliant on the 40-year-old striker.
Against Denmark, Ronaldo will join Pedro Neto and Rafael Leao in the final third, with the talismanic Bruno Fernandes behind them pulling the strings. Fernandes is the one to watch since he has 15 goals and 13 assists across all competitions this season.
Head coach Roberto Martinez will likely start Diogo Costa as the man between the sticks, Antonio Silva, Ruben Dias, Diogo Dalot, and Nuno Mendes at the back, and Joao Neves and Vitinha in midfield.
History
Thursday marks the first time in 10 years that Denmark and Portugal face off in a competitive game. Their last matchup was during the Euro 2016 qualifiers in October 2015 when Portugal won by one goal, courtesy of Joao Moutinho in the 66th minute. Denmark didn’t qualify, while Portugal did and eventually won the whole thing.
These two teams have met 16 times before this Thursday. The Selecao have 11 wins, and the Danes only have three wins and two draws. Portugal have a three-game winning streak over Denmark.
Portugal won the inaugural UEFA Nations League tournament in 2018-19 after beating the Netherlands 1-0 in the final. Roberto Martinez’s men aim to become the first team to win it twice. Denmark were in League B in 2018-19 but have been in League A ever since.
Betting Tip
The UEFA Nations League 2025 odds predict a close fight between Denmark and Portugal. Portugal are the marginal favourites at 2.16 odds, whereas Denmark aren’t far behind at 3.11, and a draw is at 3.15 in the 1X2 market. Both teams can create new UEFA Nations League 2025 highlights this Thursday, but the Selecao will likely outscore the Danes.
Besides our recommended bet, SBOTOP bettors can also go for options like Total Goal 2-3 at 1.97, Over 2.25 at 1.74, and Over 2.50 at 2.02. Moreover, a Correct Score of 1-0 in favour of Portugal – the result of their last meeting – is priced at 7.10 your bet.
A SHORT EXPLANATION ON HOW OUR (⭐) BETS ARE WORTH:
⭐⭐⭐= €20 (HIGHLY CONFIDENT)
⭐⭐= €10 (CONFIDENT)
⭐= €5 (SOMEWHAT CONFIDENT)
Disclaimer: Odds are correct at time of publish.
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