Portugal are striving to advance to the knockout stages of the European Championship for the first time, having been eliminated in the group phase in both 2017 and 2022.
Their tournament began disastrously with a 5-0 thrashing by Spain on Thursday. Portugal’s defense collapsed early, conceding twice in the first seven minutes and four times before halftime in Bern. They managed to limit Spain to just one goal in the second half, but the damage was done.
This heavy loss extends Portugal’s poor run, with five defeats in their last six matches, each seeing them concede at least three goals. Their attack has also struggled, failing to score in their last four outings. To keep their hopes alive in their remaining group matches against Italy and Belgium, Francisco Neto’s team will need a dramatic turnaround.
A loss to Italy, combined with Spain earning at least a draw against Belgium, would see Portugal eliminated with one group game remaining.
Italy are aiming to break their streak of group-stage exits from the past two European Championships. Their campaign started on a high note with a victory over Belgium, boosting their chances of reaching the quarter-finals for the first time since 2013.
Arianna Caruso, the Bayern Munich midfielder, sealed the win with a stunning strike just before halftime, securing Italy’s third victory in four matches (with one draw). Their defense also stood firm, earning a clean sheet for the third time in four games, setting a positive tone for their upcoming clash on Monday.
Riding a wave of momentum from two consecutive international wins, La Azzurre are chasing a third straight victory, a feat they haven’t achieved since February 2022. A win against Portugal, paired with Spain avoiding defeat to Belgium, would guarantee Italy a spot in the quarter-finals with a game to spare.
