Portugal vs Sweden: Lineups, Preview, and Analysis

Preview

The Portugal national football team and the Sweden national football team face off in a crucial UEFA Nations League match on Tuesday, June 14, 2023, at the Friends Arena in Stockholm. Both teams will be looking to secure a victory to boost their chances of reaching the knockout stages of the competition.

Lineups

Portugal:

• Goalkeeper: Diogo Costa
• Defenders: Joao Cancelo, Pepe, Ruben Dias, Nuno Mendes
• Midfielders: Otavio, Ruben Neves, Bernardo Silva
• Forwards: Cristiano Ronaldo, Diogo Jota, Joao Felix

Sweden:

• Goalkeeper: Robin Olsen
• Defenders: Emil Krafth, Victor Lindelof, Marcus Danielson, Ludvig Augustinsson
• Midfielders: Kristoffer Olsson, Albin Ekdal, Emil Forsberg
• Forwards: Anthony Elanga, Alexander Isak, Robin Quaison

Preview

Portugal comes into this match as the favorites, thanks to their superior world ranking and the presence of several world-class players in their squad. However, Sweden will be no pushovers, and they will be determined to make it difficult for Portugal to break them down.

The match is likely to be decided in midfield, where both teams have several talented players. Portugal will be looking to control the tempo of the game and dictate the play, while Sweden will be looking to disrupt their rhythm and create chances on the counterattack.

Analysis

Based on the lineups and recent form of both teams, here is a predicted analysis of the match:

• Portugal is expected to dominate possession and create more chances than Sweden.
• Sweden will likely sit back and soak up the pressure, looking to hit Portugal on the counterattack.
• Portugal will need to be careful not to overcommit and leave themselves open to the counterattack.
• Sweden will need to be clinical with their chances and take advantage of any mistakes made by the Portuguese defense.

Key Players

• Cristiano Ronaldo (Portugal): The all-time leading scorer in international football, Ronaldo is still a dangerous player at the age of 38. He will be looking to add to his tally against Sweden.
• Victor Lindelof (Sweden): The Manchester United defender is a key part of the Swedish defense and will be responsible for keeping Ronaldo quiet.
• Ruben Neves (Portugal): The Wolverhampton Wanderers midfielder is a creative force for the Portuguese team and will be looking to pick out Ronaldo and other teammates with his passing.
• Emil Forsberg (Sweden): The RB Leipzig winger is a dangerous player who can create chances for his teammates and score goals himself.

Prediction

Portugal is the more likely team to win this match. They have a stronger lineup and more experience at this level. However, Sweden is a well-organized team and they have a chance to pull off an upset if they can play to their strengths.

Overall, Portugal is expected to win this match, but Sweden should not be underestimated.

Additional Information

• The match will be played at the Friends Arena in Stockholm.
• The kickoff time is 19:45 CEST.
• The match will be broadcast live on several television channels around the world.
• This is the first meeting between the two teams since 2017.
• Portugal has won four of the previous five meetings between the two teams.
• Sweden's last victory over Portugal was in 2013.

Conclusion

The match between Portugal and Sweden is sure to be an exciting and entertaining encounter. Both teams have their strengths and weaknesses, and it will be interesting to see which team comes out on top.

Tables

Table 1: Head-to-Head Record

Table 2: FIFA World Rankings

Table 3: Key Player Statistics