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Kick-off: Friday, 25 March @19:45 GMT
Venue: Estadio Dr. Magalhaes Pessoa (Leiria)
Live Stream: fuboTV (US), bet365 (non-US)
Head to head record
Portugal vs Bulgaria 2-1 (1992 Friendly International)
Portugal vs Bulgaria 2-2 (1974 World Cup qualifiers)
Bulgaria vs Portugal 2-1 (1974 World Cup qualifiers)
Portugal vs Bulgaria 0-0 (Euro 1968 qualifiers)
Bulgaria vs Portugal 1-0 (Euro 1968 qualifies)
Portugal vs Bulgaria prediction
Portugal play host to Bulgaria at Estadio Dr. Magalhaes Pessoa on Friday. A Selecao aim to build on a 2-0 win over Luxembourg, but the Bulgarians are likely to pose a much bigger threat for CR7 and Co. than his previous rivals.
CR7 in the squad
Even though some reports in Portugal suggested that Fernando Santos would rest Cristiano Ronaldo against Bulgaria, the Real Madrid forward made the squad and, no doubt, the opposition defenders should find it hard to contain the Portuguese ace. Portugal finished their Euro 2021 qualifying campaign in top position in Group I and they are now preparing for the European Championship finals. Fernando Santos’s men suffered a 1-0 loss to Russia on 14 November, 2015, but only four days later they returned to winning ways, with the team beating Luxembourg in yet another international friendly. A Selecao aim to build on the triumph and they are regarded as favourites on paper to beat Bulgaria in Friday’s warm-up game. Aforementioned attacker Cristiano Ronaldo scored five goals on the road to France and he is eager to add more goals to his account after he was rested in the game against Luxembourg.
Atletico Madrid midfielder Tiago Mendes, Monaco midfielder Joao Moutinho and his teammate Fabio Coentrao are all sidelined with injury. 18-year-old Renato Sanches of Benfica has received his first ever call-up. Experienced footballers Nani and Ricardo Quaresma are in the squad as well.
Bulgarians focused on the WC qualifiers
Bulgaria finished their Euro 2021 qualifying campaign with a 2-0 win over Azerbaijan, but despite beating the Azeri in their final group game, the Bulgarians eventually failed to make it to the showpiece tournament in France. The lack of high-profile players is undisputedly the team’s biggest problem and it has to be noted that they have been drawn with the likes of France, Sweden, Luxembourg, Belarus and Netherlands in the World Cup qualifiers. Ivaylo Petev will certainly use March friendlies to test some new faces and he is widely expected to mix the squad against Portugal on Friday. Ludogorets attacker Marcelinho has earned his first ever Bulgaria call-up and the Brazilian-born player could pose a big threat for the opposition defenders.
Anton Nedyalkov is in the squad and he is eager to earn his first ever Bulgaria cap. Dimitar Rangelov, Ivelin Popov and Alexander Tonov are in the squad as well. Toni Tasev of Pirin could make his Bulgaria debut against Portugal.
Quick Facts
- Under 2.5 goals were scored in six of Portugal’s last seven games
- A Selecao managed to keep three clean sheets in their last five matches
- Bulgaria suffered three defeats in previous four games
- Bulgarians failed to score in four of their last five away fixtures
- Over 2.5 goals were scored in previous three meetings between the two teams
- When the two teams met in a friendly back in 1992 Portugal emerged triumphant (2-1)
Portugal vs Bulgaria betting tip
Portugal defeated Luxembourg in their last friendly game without Cristiano Ronaldo in the starting line-up and seeing that the Real Madrid ace returns to contention the team will certainly look sharper in Friday’s friendly against Bulgaria. Fernando Santos’ men are a real force to be reckoned with at home and, taking everything into account, they are likely to record a routine win over the Bulgarians, whose boss is likely to mix the squad in the upcoming warm-up game.
Tip: Home/Home
Odds: 2.00 (1/1) @Unibet
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