The first real heavyweight conflict Euro 2020 The knockout stage will be held in Seville tonight, and the defending champion Portugal will face the world’s number one Belgium.
Roberto Martinez’s Belgian team reached the World Cup semi-finals in Russia three years ago and hopes to win the country’s first major tournament.
They are one of the three teams that have won all three group matches. After defeating Russia, Denmark and Finland, they topped the list with the first place in Group B.
At the same time, the Portuguese team had to work hard to reach the top 16 after being drawn by the so-called death group.
Fernando Santos (Fernando Santos)’s team won the match against Hungary, but was then defeated by Germany and drew 2-2 with France in the final match, which meant that they had to rely on the third-placed team. One of the best players qualified for the knockout round.
You can follow all the actions in real time on the Standard Sport blog below…
Live Update
9 minutes: There was a little warning at the other end, because Lukaku stripped from his man’s back, but Munier crossed the cross and it floated towards the corner flag. Cage started.
6 minutes: That is an opportunity. When Sanchez broke through the midfield, the Portuguese team flew forward in the counterattack. He fed Jota from the outside, but the Liverpool man dragged his shot back to the goal and the wing.
3 minutes: Well, the most interesting thing in the first few minutes is that it looks like Romelu Lukaku starts from the right side of the attack, while De Bruyne is playing more focused.
I seem to remember that Roberto Martinez did something similar against Brazil in the World Cup a few years ago.
begin!
We are in Seville…
Let’s go then. The team is about to be out-Eden Hazard and Cristiano Ronaldo lead their star-studded team into the night of Seville.
He’s here
The top scorer in the 2020 European Cup is here…Break the record tonight?
‘Dominate the game’
Roberto Martinez has a simple message to his side tonight, control.
“Whoever wins this game needs a complete performance,” said the Belgian boss. “I want my team to be able to control and control the ball well, but Portugal is a dangerous team, so we need to mix-we need to defend well.”
Aging loop?
So far, Cristiano Ronaldo and Diogo Jota have performed very well in the 2020 European Cup. It was the last three of Aldweireld, Vertonghen and Vermalan who stopped them…the trio is 101 years old! (Tipping that wonderful Rich Jolly).
Have you experienced it or is it in the past? We will find out.
German wake-up call
Renato Sanchez made a deep impression this summer, but after Portugal’s shocking loss to Germany, the midfielder said they were sounded alarm bells.
“The game against Germany made us reflect,” Sanchez said.
“I’m not saying they are better than us, but they make us reflect and realize that we can’t make it easy [for our opponents], So we must go all out in every game and maintain the same attitude as the French team.
“It will make it difficult for us to lose because we are a cohesive and compact team, and we are all together. When we are all working in the same direction, it is difficult to beat us.”
Lukaku: I am world-class
So far this summer, Belgian striker Romelu Lukaku looks deadly and he said it is time for people to get to know his class.
“When they talk about [Robert] Lewandowski [Karim] Benzema, [Luis] Suarez [Harry] Kane, they would say that this is a world-class level, and for me, everything is to stay in good shape,” Lukaku said this week.
“In the past two years, I think I have proven that this is not just a good form.
“I belong to that group, I am at that level.”
Facing the holder and Cristiano Ronaldo tonight, Lukaku can certainly establish his position with his outstanding performance.
