Portugal is seeking to secure a place in the quarter-finals of the European Nations League, when it plays its match in the fifth round on Friday, against Poland (21:45 occupied Jerusalem time), and with Spain, the European Cup holder, and Germany qualifying for the quarter-finals, there is still Seats available before the final two rounds.
Portugal, which has not suffered any losses yet, needs only one point to qualify, and seeks to seal its qualification when it plays its guest, Poland, before facing Croatia. Al-Nasr Saudi striker Cristiano Ronaldo (39 years old) will try to lead his country to another victory over Poland after the first (3-1), in the 15th confrontation between the two teams, and the seventh since 2007, as Portugal has never lost (three wins and three draws).
The European Seleção hopes to continue the series of positive results at home as well, as it has won 19 matches against only two losses since September 2021. But the team will be missing a group of its players, most notably Ruben Diaz, Ruben Neves and Diogo Jota due to injury. As for Poland, third with four points, it needs a win, while Croatia (ten points) seeks to advance when it meets Scotland, last with a point. Spaniard Roberto Martinez’s men lead Group A with ten points, three points ahead of their Croatian counterpart.
In turn, Spain aims to move away from the lead when it plays its host, Denmark, the second team, which is seeking to qualify for the group stage for the first time. The task will be difficult for the European champion, who has not lost in 14 consecutive matches, including 12 victories. Barcelona striker Lamine Yamal is absent from coach Luis de la Fuente’s squad, who suffered an injury that will keep him out of action for two to three weeks, while new faces have joined the squad: Samo Omorodion, Mark Casado, and Aitor Paredes. Spanish national team coach Luis de la Fuente summoned Barcelona’s young defender, Pau Cobarci, to replace the injured Pau Torres, for the matches against Denmark and Switzerland in the fifth and sixth rounds of the European Nations League competition.
Spain, which qualified for the quarter-finals after topping the fourth group of the first level with ten points, will face second-place Denmark with seven points in Copenhagen, on Friday, and then host Switzerland, at the bottom of the standings, on Monday. The Netherlands will meet Hungary on Saturday in a decisive match in Group C. Both have five points, compared to ten for Germany, which plays Bosnia and Herzegovina.
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