Euro2008: Portugal pulls face to Turkey, with "spotlights" in Ronaldo and thought in Vienna

The Portuguese selecção of soccer begins Saturday in Geneva, with Turkey, the fifth consecutive presence in the final phase of a great competition, with all of the "spotlights" about Cristiano Ronaldo and the secret hope of conquering Euro2008.

After having reached the room-of-final in 1996 (0-1 with the Czech Republic), you stocking-die them in 2000 (1-2, after prolongation, with France) and to final in 2004 (0-1 with Greece... home), Portugal wants better and that can only be the title that never snatched.

The formation of the "corners", that also shone in the World championship of 2006 (fourth place), doesn't leave as favorite, face to the presence of historical Italy (an European title, more four World), France (two, one more) and Germany (three, more three), but it proceeds soon after, close to Spain, Holland or the holder Greece.

To win the proof is, however, and for already, a distant objectivo and that it passes, in a first phase, for winning the Group THE, or, at least, to be in second in the grouping and, in this matter, Portugal is super favorite to pass, for reasons actuais and historical.

In the four previous presences (1984, 1996, 2000 and 2004), it equips her/it of the "corners" always crossed the first phase and in the last three it won his/her group even, being now clearly in the it "polishes" for a fourth success, face Turkey, Czech Republic and Switzerland.

The Turks return after the third place in the World championship of 2002, the Czechs were semi-finalists in 2004, but they arrive without the "brain" Tomás Rosicky, while the Swisses, eliminated of Mundial2006, us "eighth", without any defeat, he/she has on his/her side the facto marries.

To begin, Portugal "measures forces" with the Turks, that, being far away from be a fragile opponent, as they showed in the qualification, for instance, with a victory for 4-1 in Greece, they will be, theoretically, the least complicated.

Without history in the competition (first phase in 1996 and room-of-final in 2000), Turkey accomplishes the third presence and also for the third time he/she finds her equips Portuguese, that won the two previous collisions and without suffering any golo.

In 1996, in the second I play of the phase of groups, Portugal won for 1-0, with a care of Fernando Couto, and, in 2000, us "rooms", the "eleven" Portuguese won for 2-0, in a game in that Nuno Gomes "encored", after two attendances of Fig, and Vítor Baía it defended a penalty.

Now, with "onzes" completely different - Nuno Gomes will be, surprisingly, the only survivor -, the Portuguese formation returns the favorite being... but not a lot, since he/she still comes in search of the colectivo, without albeit it equips her titular it is defined.

Face to the that Saturday passed in Viseu, in the last test (2-0 to Georgia), and in the trainings already accomplished in Neuchatel, it seems that the Portuguese seleccionador, the Brazilian Luiz Felipe Scolari, has the defined "eleven", at least for the first game.

He/she swims her if it alters in his/her thought, Portugal will align in "4-3-3", with Bosingwa, Pepe, Ricardo Carvalho and Paulo Ferreira, ahead of the guard-nets Ricardo, a middle-field with Petit, João Moutinho and Deco and two ends (Cristiano Ronaldo and Simão) in the support Nuno Gomes.

For the case of being necessary, the technician "canarinho" has other excellent options, in a first line, as central Bruno Alves, medium Raul Meireles and Miguel Veloso, the ends Ricardo Quaresma and Nani and the spearhead Hugo Almeida.

On his/her side, Turkey, of Fatih Terim, presents as main weapon the colectivo, the passion for the game and the nationalist fervor, as well as some players of superior quality, namely Nihat, Emre and Hamit Altintop.

The encounter among to Portugal and Turkey he/she takes place Saturday, in Geneva, with beginning to the 20:45 places (19:45 in Lisbon), and it is the second of the Group THE and of Euro2008, with exit" "kick at 18:00 (17:00) o'clock, in Basileia, where the hostess Switzerland confronts the Czech Republic.