How Portugal could line up against Sweden

sportsmole.co.uk, 19 March 2024, 11:34

Cristiano Ronaldo will not be involved in Portugal's international friendly encounter with Sweden at the Estadio Dom Afonso Henriques in Guimaraes on Thursday.

The 39-year-old is one of eight players along with Joao Cancelo, Diogo Dalot, Danilo Pereira, Ruben Neves, Vitinha, Otavio and Joao Felix who have been given an extra period of recovery by manager Roberto Martinez - all eight players will return for next Tuesday's meeting with Slovenia, though.

The absence of Ronaldo and Felix could therefore open the door for Rafael Leao and Goncalo Ramos to start in attack, while Porto's Francisco Conceicao and Vitoria de Guimaraes's Jota Silva, who have received their first senior call-ups, are also in contention to feature.

Bernardo Silva is an option to start on the right side of attack if he is not deployed in midfield, while Bruno Fernandes and Joao Palhinha both featured regularly in Euro 2024 qualifying and could be selected again in midfield; highly-rated Benfica star Joao Neves is also in contention for a start.

At the ripe old age of 41, Porto stalwart Pepe will be looking to earn his 135th international cap in the heart of the defence alongside either Ruben Dias or Antonio Silva, while one-cap Toti Gomes and uncapped Diogo Leite are two other central defensive options at Martinez's disposal.

Nelson Semedo, Raphael Guerreiro and Nuno Mendes are among the candidates to start at full-back in the absence of Cancelo and Dalot, while Diogo Costa could retain his place between the sticks ahead of 107-cap Rui Patricio, who has not started any of Portugal's last eight matches.

Portugal possible starting lineup: Costa; Semedo, Dias, Pepe, Guerreiro; Fernandes, Palhinha, J. Neves; Bernardo, Ramos, Leao

Read full version: https://www.sportsmole.co.uk/football/sweden/predicted-lineups/how-portugal-could-line-up-against-sweden_539293.html

Afonso
Antonio Silva
Benfica
Bernard
Bernardo
Bernardo Silva
Bruno
Bruno Fernandes
Cristiano Ronaldo
Danilo
Danilo Pereira
Diogo Costa
Diogo Dalot
Diogo Leite
Felix
Fernandes
Franci
Francis
Francisco
Francisco Conceicao
Goncalo Ramos
Guima
Guimaraes
Henrique
Inter
Joao Cancelo
Joao Felix
Joao Neves
Joao Palhinha
Jota Silva
Martinez
Nelson Semedo
Neves
Nuno Mendes
Otavio
Pepe
Pere
Pereira
Play
Porto
Portugal
Portugal - Sweden
Portugal vs Sweden
Rafa
Rafael
Rafael Leao
Ramos
Raphael Guerreiro
Robert
Roberto
Roberto Martinez
Ronaldo
Ruben Dias
Ruben Neves
Rui Patricio
Silva
Slovenia
Sweden
Sweden at the
Toti Gomes
Viti
Vitinha
Vitoria
Vitoria de Guimaraes

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How Portugal could line up against Sweden

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