Portugal vs Czech Republic Prediction: Ronaldo to get off to a flying start

Portugal have had to wait and see the other big boys gain major wins so far, but on Tuesday night they get their Euro 2024 campaign underway against the Czech Republic. It’s a game that Roberto Martinez’s men will expect to win in Leipzig, after a perfect record in qualifying saw them top their group. 

Czech Republic are certainly the underdogs heading into this one, but they have won their last four games, scoring a whopping 13 goals in the process. This could be a cracker in Group F and below you can find my Portugal vs Czech Republic Prediction. 

Euro 2024 Odds

Team News

Cristiano Ronaldo may now be 39, but he is expected to start up front for Portugal and will look to add to his tally of 130 international goals. It’s a case of who will work around him for Martinez, with Bruno Fernandes expected to support from central areas, and Rafael Leao set to start on the left. Bernardo Silva could play from the right, with Joao Felix, Goncalo Ramos and Diogo Jota likely to have to settle for places on the bench. 41-year-old Pepe is expected to start and if he does, he will become the oldest player in the tournament’s history. 

Meanwhile Czech Republic are unfortunately going to be without Michal Sadilek who was forced to withdraw from the squad having been injured while riding his bike. West Ham’s reliable duo of Vladimir Coufal and Tomas Soucek will start, while Patrik Schick should lead the line, having scored from the halfway line at the last Euros.

Portugal possible XI:
Costa; Cancelo, Pepe, Dias, Mendes; Palhinha, Vitinha, Fernandes; Leao, Ronaldo, Bernardo

Czech Republic possible starting XI:
Stanek; Holes, Hranac, Krejci; Coufal, Soucek, Provod, Barak, Jurasek; Kuchta, Schick

Portugal vs Czech Republic Odds

Portugal are favourites for this one, priced at 51/100 to win, while Czech Republic can be backed at 26/5. A draw is available at 17/5, BTTS is 17/20 and over 2.5 goals is 7/10. 

Portugal (-1) @ 31/20

I think Portugal are set up to perform really well at this tournament, and they are my pick to go all the way and win it. I think they have brilliant leaders in the form of Ronaldo and Pepe, and their squad is packed full of talent. Joao Palhinha and Vitinha will offer control in the middle of the pitch, while Bruno Fernades, Bernardo Silva and Rafa Leao should cause chaos in the final third. 

The depth from the bench is frightening, while they have Ruben Dias and Joao Cancelo at the back just to name a few. They should be able to go deep in Germany, and I think they will have more than enough to beat the Czech Republic handsomely. The underdogs have won a lot of games lately, but they’ve also only kept one clean sheet in their last six matches.

Cristiano Ronaldo to score first @ 11/4

He’s back. Expected to start up front, Ronaldo will want to banish the memories of the 2022 World Cup, where he was dropped from the Portugal team, and then Lionel Messi went on to win the biggest prize of the lot. Somehow, he is defying his age and now looks like he might even still be around for the next World Cup. 

However, right now, he has a perfect opportunity to win another European Championship. He was taken off in the final in 2016 through injury, but now he has a superior squad to rely on, and all he has to do is score the goals. I’m expecting big things from Ronaldo in this tournament, and he could well be a Golden Boot contender. He should get off to a flyer. 

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