Portugal and Wales led by Cristiano Ronaldo and Gareth Bale, respectively, will play tomorrow the first semifinal of the European Championship, with the immersed Portuguese selection in the search for a win to erase the criticism for his disappointing game and Welsh enjoying a dream that You not want to wake up.
Since the two teams it insists that there is a duel
between Cristiano and Bale, but it will be very difficult to detach during the
match, and not be aware of the evolution of the two figures of Real Madrid.
The experience at this stage of the competition could be
one of the keys to the game. Portugal has reached five times the semifinals of
the European Championship, making it to the final twice. While for Wales will
be his first appearance at the gates of a final in an international tournament.
While the British group, the hand of a great Gareth Bale,
comes to the most important event in its history in a great form after passing
over Belgium (3-1), a favorite of the competition . Apart from the defeat
against England (1-2), also it beats Slovakia (2-1), Russia (3-0) and Northern
Ireland (1-0).
The Portuguese team, however, still does not dispel
doubts about its true potential because it has failed to crush rivals in the
first 90 minutes. After finishing the group stage with three draws in the
quarterfinals on penalties undid Poland (1-1) and eighth in extra time to beat
Croatia (1-0) with a goal of Quaresma in the first auction between the posts of
party.
It is also seen if Pepe arrives able to match. The
center, one of the best of his team in the European Championship, did not train
with the rest of his teammates in the two last practice as a precaution to feel
pain in the thigh. Santos does not have a replacement at its height on the
bench.
In the front no changes are expected with respect to the
quarter-finals. Everything indicates that the feeling of the team, Renato
Sanches, 18, co-located in attack on Nani and Ronaldo.
All eyes are on the fitness of Gareth Bale, who yesterday
gave a scare to the press of his country to train separately. But he quickly
leave to testify that he did just to recover from physical fatigue.
The selection to be imposed tomorrow could have an
additional prize: play the Confederations Cup to be held in Russia next summer.
But for that to happen, Germany has to knock down to France and get into the
final.
