EURO 2020: Reigning, Defending, Champions Of Europe General Discussion

Wow we going have to play out of our skins going to have about 2 to 3 games in hand

 

Blew their chance for first? They've played 2 of 6 games and are 5 points behind a team that can and probably will drop points somewhere. They blew their chance is a bit extreme.

 

That is why Ukraine's next three games are extremely important. We are playing Luxemburg and Lithuania twice. On paper we should get 9 points out of these games. Reality may intervene, of course.

 

Every team's best chance to win a group is by taking care of business at home against the competition for first. Portugal drew at home against BOTH teams it is competing against for the two qualifying spots, hence it blew its most strsightforward path to the top of the group - win at home, draw on the road.

Portugal can win the group (I said it blew its best/easiest path to first, not its only path), but it'll be tougher than if it hadn't immediately drawn its two most important and decisive home matches to begin qualifying. And in a small group there's already less room for error - Portugal's used most of that room already.

 

My mistake, I miss read your post to mean they blew their chance rather than they blew their "best" chance. So yeah than ofcourse you're right. The odds are, if we can get all remaining points we still get 1st, but the odds are more likely we drop something away to either Ukraine or Serbia.

Does anyone really know what happens if we win the Nations league? Do we get a straight ticket to the Euro? Or did we already earn a playoff incase of 3rd place and there is no further reward?

 

we have earned a play off place if it come down to that

 

If you want to be even more confused, go here: https://www.uefa.com/uefanationsleague/video/videoid=2502798.html?iv=true

 

I do not think anyone in this group is going to run the table.

 

The Euro 2020 Qualifying Playoff participants are determined by where teams finished in the Nations League. There will be four, four-team mini tournaments and the winner of each will advance to Euro 2020 (16 playoff participants for the final four Euro 2020 places).

All the Nations League group winners are automatically placed into the qualifying playoffs if they do not advance directly from their Euro 2020 qualifying group. So, as verde-rubro mentioned above, if Portugal doesn't finish top two in its qualifying group, it'll be in the qualifying playoffs.

If a Nations League group winner advances to Euro 2020 straight from their qualifying group, the next best team in their Nations League group that didn't advance to Euro 2020 from their qualifying group will take their place in the qualifying playoff.

The Nations League Final has no determination on Euro 2020 qualification, it's simply to determine the Nations League champion. All four semifinalists have earned a spot in the qualifying playoffs if they don't finish top two in their qualifying group, same as the Nations League group winners in Leagues B, C and D.

 

todays games, ukraine now on 10 points serbia on 4 points with luxembourg
Serbia vs Lithuania
4 - 1
Ukraine vs Luxembourg
1 - 0

 

Só 4 points from the next 2 games and we are effectively in the automatic spots.

I think we will qualify automatically in the end. I don’t believe we will lose a game do with that in mind we will find a way.

I’m hopeful that Rafael Leao & Ferro start the season well. I feel those are two positions which we could really do with upgrades and round out our team to be without an obvious weakness

 

What is this reliable source? because i think you have given everyone in here a boner now.. we need deets..

 

regarding the table.. it has def become more difficult.. 4 of the remaining 6 are on the road.. 2 of them in ukraine and serbia.

that being said, this team is full of talent (sure.. should have won first 2 games) and i dont see why they cant win in both ukraine and serbia.. ultimately, i still think they are a top 2 team in this group.

i think the permanent inclusion of felix (which will certainly happen) will be a boost to the team and ronaldo.. even tho in the past i have been cautious of this approach.. still not sure on who will settle in as the 3 midfielders.. and how pepe is playing down the stretch..

 

Podence & Carrico are really odd calls. I really like the Sanches call up not becuse I think he deserves it but it may help to give him confidence in the rebuild process at Lille. Smart from Santos.

 

I think they were called up because last time you could only call 23 players and now you can call 25. I doubt Podence and Carrico see any playing time unless there are injuries or suspensions.

As for Renato - the national team isn't a psych rehab center in my opinion. It should be the best and brightest, both physically and mentally fit. I think it's more because of his unique characteristics that he was called up.

 

Podence is one of the first names on the team sheet for Olympiakos tbf and has played well for them, no harm in calling him up

 

Yeah, that is an interesting way to look at it. Ultimately, while it would be nice to finish 1st in the group, it is not a requirement. Getting into the top 2 is the goal and as you mentioned, a minimum of 4 pts in the next 2 games would increase those odds dramatically. No reason why they can not get 6 though.

 

Two wins in the coming week and Portugal is firmly in the top two with a game at hand compared to Serbia/Ukraine, and top two is all that matters. As usual, Portugal has a lot of points still available and can right its wrongs of those first two matches on the road. And wins this week would mean two losses for Serbia and none for Portugal or Ukraine.

If Portugal can get four points from its remaining Serbia/Ukraine matches it'll go through (assuming no trouble with the minnows). Two more draws against them and the door will be open for both to finish ahead of Portugal if Serbia won out otherwise and Ukraine beat everyone until that final match against Ukraine.

That said, there's no guarantee the competition doesn't stumble. Ukraine has barely beaten Luxembourg twice, once on an injury time own goal and then with a lone early goal.

Long story short, it isn't time to worry, Portugal has plenty of time, and a few days from now it could be firmly in position to qualify. Or we could be in panic mode (ya know, to a certain extent, playoff assurances notwithstanding).

 

Time for a A+ performance against Serbia when it matters.

 

Well, thank you for calming me down a bit. lol.

Does anybody see Renato Sanches starting this match? His physical style of game could go a long way in a match v Serbia.

Or are we gonna see the William-Neves-Pizzi/Fernandes/Moutinho show.

 

I know we all go through a million diff formations/line ups.. but just looking at the call up.. assuming everyone was in form (which they are not).. my dream line up:

---------------------------------------Patricio
--Semedo----------Danilo------------------Dias----------Cancelo

---------------------------------------William
---------------------Sanches---------------------Bernardo

---Felix-----------------------------Jota----------------------Ronaldo

to bad this would neverrrrrrr happen.

 

Ferro called to replace Pepe whose injured.

 

Interesting to see if Santos will go with Fonte-Dias or Dias-Ferro (due to chemistry)

Pepe is a huge loss for the Serbia game.


I'm betting he goes:


--------------------------------Patricio--------------------------------------
-----------------------Fonte---------------Dias-----------------------------
Cancelo----------------------------------------------------------Gurreiro
-------------------------Danilo---------William----------------------------
----------Bernardo Silva-------------------------Bruno Fernandes------
-------------------------Felix-------------Ronaldo----------------------------

Danilo instead of Neves due to Serbia's threat on set pieces and on the counter.