Portugal battle Denmark in the UEFA Nations League quarterfinals looking reach a final for the first time since the inaugural competition in 2019.
Portugal come into the quarterfinals sixth in the FIFA men's world rankings. One of the strongest national teams based on names alone, Portugal haven't faced Denmark since 2015. They haven't lost to Demark since Oct. 11, 2011. They're favored to advance past Denmark, but they'll need a complete performance from the squad the rest of the way if they're to beat either Italy or Germany and then potentially France or Spain in the final.
Here's how Portugal could line up against Denmark in the first leg of their UEFA Nations League quarterfinal tie.
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Portugal Predicted Lineup vs. Denmark (4-3-3)
GK: Diogo Costa—Porto's number one starts between the sticks.
RB: Diogo Dalot—With no Joao Cancelo in the squad, Dalot gets the start at right back.
CB: Antonio Silva—Antonio Silva starts after keeping a clean sheet last time out in October when Portugal drew with Scotland.
CB: Ruben Dias—The Manchester City defender occupies his natural spot in defense marshalling the line.
LB: Nuno Mendes—The PSG defender kept Mohamed Salah quiet over two legs in the UEFA Champions League round of 16.
CM: Vitinha—Another PSG player, Vitinha earned praise for the way he controlled the midfield against Liverpool.
CM: Bruno Fernandes—Fernandes remains one of the few bright spots in what's been a forgettable and horrid Manchester United season.
CM: Joao Neves—Joao Palhinha is more likely here as the deepest lying midfielder, but given Neves' strong form to close out March for PSG he gets the nod.
RW: Pedro Neto—Neto starts off the right after playing as a striker in Chelsea's loss to Arsenal.
ST: Cristiano Ronaldo—As long as CR7 continues to play, he continues to lead the line for Portugal.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as Portugal Predicted Lineup vs. Denmark: UEFA Nations League Quarterfinals.
