Portugal are back in the UEFA Nations League finals for the first time since winning the inaugural edition in 2019, but a daunting opponent awaits in Wednesday’s semifinal.
The Iberian nation haven’t beaten Germany since Sérgio Conceição ran riot at Euro 2000 against a Mannschaft outfit in disarray. Portugal have lost the five meetings since, all of which have come at major football tournaments.
The current Portuguese generation has long been lauded as its most gifted ever, but success has eluded them since their unlikely triumph at Euro 2016. Fresh ideas were finally introduced as Roberto Martínez replaced Fernando Santos in 2023, but his team underwhelmed at the latest Euros.
Now, they’ve got the chance to get the German monkey off their back in Munich with a spot in the 2024–25 Nations League final at stake. Here‘s how Portugal could line up on Wednesday night.
Portugal Predicted Lineup vs. Germany (4-3-3)
GK: Diogo Costa—There’s no doubt over who’ll be starting between the posts against Germany. Costa has long established himself as Portugal’s number one.
RB: Diogo Dalot—Now performing as a wingback for Ruben Amorim, Dalot was playing for the national team even when he was out of sorts at Manchester United. He heads into these fixtures off the back of a good campaign.
CB: Rúben Dias—Dias endured a mixed season for a Manchester City team that finally didn’t win, but he’ll remain at the heart of Portugal’s defence in Germany before flying out for the Club World Cup.
CB: António Silva—Martínez will choose between Silva and Gonçalo Inácio to partner Dias, with both defenders staking a claim to earn the starting role. This is a toss-up.
LB: Nuno Mendes—Some have suggested Martínez will offer rests to his PSG contingent on Wednesday night off the back of their Champions League success, but the Portugal boss must surely be tempted to utilise all three from the outset as they make a swift return to the Allianz Arena. There’s a considerable downgrade in quality from Mendes at left-back.
CM: Vitinha—Martínez does have more options in midfield, so there’s potential for Vitinha to earn a rest here. However, if he’s relatively fresh off the back of PSG’s celebrations, the midfielder may fancy a starting role against a cohesive German engine room.
CM: João Neves—Young Neves is the consummate professional who’ll be desperate to start the semifinal. He doesn’t want a rest!
CM: Bruno Fernandes—The Manchester United captain departed for camp with the national team amid a cloud of uncertainty surrounding his future. All will likely be resolved following Sunday’s final, and Fernandes is aiming to inspire Portugal to their second Nations League triumph.
RW: Bernardo Silva—Francisco Trincão enters the summer off the back of a wonderful season with Sporting CP and will certainly play a role for his country over the next week. However, Bernardo, who celebrated his 100th cap in March, is set to retain his place in the side on Wednesday
ST: Cristiano Ronaldo—He’s struggled at recent major tournaments for his country, but Ronaldo will remain at the forefront of Portugal’s thinking for as long as he deems necessary. The 40-year-old is the top scorer of the ongoing Nations League, scoring six times.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as Portugal Predicted Lineup vs. Germany: UEFA Nations League Semifinal.
