Spain and Portugal are set to clash on Sunday night in Munich, with both teams aiming to become the first two-time champions of the UEFA Nations League. Their paths to the final were filled with drama and impressive performances in the semifinals.
Portugal was the first to secure their spot, achieving an impressive victory against hosts Germany. Despite falling behind early to a Florian Wirtz goal in the first half, Roberto Martinez`s side staged a strong comeback. Quick goals from Francisco Conceicao and Cristiano Ronaldo saw them advance to their first final since winning the inaugural tournament in 2019.
The excitement from the match in Munich was quickly overshadowed by the events in the Spain vs France semifinal. European champions Spain raced to a four-goal lead, largely thanks to an inspired performance from Lamine Yamal. Although Kylian Mbappe pulled one back with a penalty, the Barcelona youngster responded with a penalty of his own. However, a thrilling late fightback from France, sparked by Rayan Cherki`s excellent debut goal, saw them ultimately lose a nine-goal thriller 5-4.
For Spain, a victory would reaffirm their status as a leading European side, following their European Championship win two years ago. Portugal, on the other hand, would relish the opportunity to upset their close neighbors. Here`s a look ahead to the final match:
Recent Head-to-Head
Recent encounters between these Iberian rivals have often been dramatic, most notably the memorable 3-3 draw at the 2018 World Cup and a tense 1-0 win for Spain in 2010 as they went on to lift the World Cup trophy. More recently, they met in the Nations League group stage where Alvaro Morata played a key role. In the fixture in Spain, his early goal was cancelled out by Ricardo Horta. However, in the reverse match in Braga, Morata, who was an unused substitute in Spain`s recent semifinal, scored in the 88th minute to give La Furia Roja their first competitive win on Portuguese soil in 88 years.
Betting Insights
Lamine Yamal to score and Spain to win is a notable betting option (+320 odds). Yamal was in exceptional form against France, taking multiple shots and having six touches inside the penalty area. Nuno Mendes is a strong defender, but facing Yamal, especially given the youngster`s propensity for performing in crucial matches, will be a stern test.
Predicted Lineups
Portugal XI: Diogo Costa; Joao Neves, Ruben Dias, Goncalo Inacio, Nuno Mendes; Vitinha, Bernardo Silva, Bruno Fernandes; Francisco Conceicao, Cristiano Ronaldo, Pedro Neto
Spain XI: Unai Simon; Pedro Porro, Robin Le Normand, Dean Huijsen, Marc Cucurella; Martin Zubimendi, Mikel Merino, Pedri; Lamine Yamal, Mikel Oyarzabal, Nico Williams
Player to Watch
Cristiano Ronaldo, Portugal – As always, the spotlight will be on the all-time leading scorer in men`s international football. He continues to find the net and showed he is still a significant threat against Germany, taking seven shots. Portugal`s attacking play is often designed to create chances for him.
Match Prediction
While this match might not produce as many goals as Spain`s incredible semifinal, both sides are capable of scoring freely and can also concede chances. The outcome is difficult to predict, but Spain`s overall consistency gives them the edge. Predicted Score: Portugal 1, Spain 3
