Portugal vs Norway Preview - Perfect Record on the Line in the UEFA Nations League | OneFootball

Portugal are chasing a fourth consecutive win in the UEFA Nations League on Sunday when they host Norway at Estádio do Dragão. Jorge Jesus’ side sit six points clear at the top of Group 4 and a victory could seal a spot in the quarter-finals with two games to spare.

João Félix is flourishing up front with goals in all three matches under the new manager. Gonçalo Ramos has taken his chance in the starting side, scoring in the victories in Norway and Denmark.

The Seleção continue without Cristiano Ronaldo who abruptly left the squad after the 2-1 win in Oslo. It remains to be seen if his relationship with Jesus can be repaired.

Form guide

Portugal began the Nations League with a 1-0 win against Wales. João Félix opened the scoring at Estádio José Alvalade where Ronaldo missed a great chance to double the advantage, the visitors going close to equalising late on.

Félix scored in Norway but Erling Haaland equalised shortly after half-time. Gonçalo Ramos restored the lead and went close to making it 3-1 on two occasions, the Seleção holding on for a 2-1 victory.

Jorge Jesus’ side went to Denmark and produced a strong attacking display to earn a 4-2 win. Goals to João Cancelo and Ramos were cancelled out before Vitinha resotred the lead and Félix came off the bench to seal the deal.

Norway’s Nations League campaign started against Denmark, goals from Oscar Bobb and Erling Haaland establishing an early 2-0 lead. They lost their advantage before Haaland found the net again to seal a 3-2 victory.

Haaland equalised against Portugal before Ramos punished a bad error from Orjan Nyland just three minutes later. The home crowd in Oslo drove their team forward but there wouldn’t be another equaliser despite registering 2.52-1.04 xG.

Oscar Bobb returned to the starting side and gave Stale Solbakken’s side an early lead in Wales. Torbjorn Heggem was sent off after the hosts had equalised and despite battling hard with 10 men, Norway couldn’t avoid a 2-1 defeat in Cardiff.

Head-to-head record

Portugal first met Norway in 1966 and have dominated the HTH, leading 9-1 with two draws.

Portugal squad and predicted lineup

Goalkeepers: Diogo Costa, Rui Silva, Samuel SoaresDefenders: Rúben Dias, João Cancelo, Nuno Mendes, Diogo Dalot, Gonçalo Inácio, Renato Veiga, Tomás Araújo, Nuno TavaresMidfielders: Bernardo Silva, Bruno Fernandes, Rúben Neves, Vitinha, João Palhinha, João NevesForwards: Cristiano Ronaldo, João Félix, Rafael Leão, Pedro Neto, Gonçalo Ramos, Francisco Conceição, Francisco Trincão, Fábio Silva

Francisco Conceição picked up a knock in Oslo and missed the match in Copenhagen but could be an option off the bench. I am expecting João Palhinha and João Félix to come back into the starting side in Porto.

Jesus has hinted that Pedro Neto is feeling some fatigue which could see Bruno Fernandes primarily stationed on the right wing with a licence to come inside.

The manager has reportedly offered Cristiano Ronaldo an olive branch but it's unclear if the rift can be repaired or Ronaldo's international career has come to an end.

Portugal (4-4-1-1): Diogo Costa; João Cancelo; Rúben Dias, Renato Veiga, Nuno Mendes; Bruno Fernandes, Vitinha, João Palhinha, Rafael Leão; João Félix; Gonçalo Ramos

Norway players to watch

Stale Solbakken has confirmed that goalkeeper Orjan Nyland will be taken out of the firing line and replaced by Egil Selvik.

Martin Odegaard provides the creativity from midfield with Oscar Bobb, Antonio Nusa and Andreas Schjelderup offering threat out wide.

Little needs to be said about Erling Haaland who has scored an impressive 65 goals in 58 internationals.

Quotes

Jorge Jesus

"What I want is for us to win so that we are practically qualified for the quarter-finals. If we can do what we did against Denmark, with moments of great quality, that's what I want most, but in football we don't always get what we want. I would like Portugal to win and, in our country, secure qualification."

"Norway is a top five team in Europe, with great players. We have to be focused. In terms of physicality, that's where we lose. They have five players between 1.88 and 1.90 meters tall. But we have advantages: we're not that tall, but we're fast.”

“Our midfielders are all 1.70 meters tall, but with the ball at their feet, it's difficult to stop them. We have to try to incorporate that into our game. The Norwegian coach has already seen the footage of the first game."

"Statistics are facts. Norway is a very high-quality team. I've already told my players this. Tall, big players used to appear in Portugal, but they didn't have much technical quality. Nowadays, that's different. They have technique. We're going to play to win, we're not going to change our ideas."

"We've made four changes, it all depends on the players' conditions. We're going into our fourth game. The players who play the most minutes are starting to be at risk of injury. Tomorrow we'll change some of the players who are more fatigued. Félix has recovered, I think he's recovered... We still have to do one more training session."

Jorge Jesus and Bruno Fernandes spoke before the clash against Norway (Manuel Fernando Araujo/Lusa)

"In these three games, he (Pedro Neto) showed promise. We lost Conceição, and therefore that also gave him some advantage. But tomorrow is the fourth game, and the warning lights are already ringing for him."

"The focus has to be on the national team, for everything. Regarding Norway, what we have to do well is ensure our people are also in tune with the flag and the objective. Cristiano Ronaldo is a symbol of the national team, of Portugal. After the game, there will be plenty of time to talk about that."

"Football is day by day, game by game. Tomorrow's game is the most important. A game that is expected to be well played. That's where I want to go. The problem at the moment is Norway."

Bruno Fernandes

"These were three very important points in our journey, and hopefully tomorrow there will be three more, so that we can be closer to our goal. We probably gave the opposing team more opportunities than we wanted, but at the same time, we managed to be very effective in the way we defended. There are always things to improve in every game."

"The most important thing we have here is that the ideas are being assimilated very quickly and we had a very quick response to what the coach asked of us, especially in defensive work. I already know the manager, I've worked with him before. He's the one who brought me to the big stages in Portugal. I know how demanding it is to work with him, I know the tough times you have to endure, some justified, some less so."

"It's important that the team manages to have these ideas well defined and manages, in different games, to do things differently as well, so that we don't become predictable."

"Regarding Cris, I had a conversation with him, I spoke with him as well, and what I told him is what I repeat here: the most important thing is that, regardless of what happens, Cris will never cease to be the greatest symbol of our National Team, the greatest symbol of our football and, certainly, the greatest symbol of our country."

"Artists always have to have something up their sleeve. That's why we'll be here tomorrow to try and give the Portuguese people another moment of joy. We have many high-quality players who can create spectacular moments at any time during the game."

"We have been happy here many times. From what I remember, in many of the last qualifying matches we were here, we always secured passage to the European Championship, the World Cup or the next phase, often here in this stadium. May this be a good omen for that."

Stale Solbakken

“I have great respect for Portugal. The team is in the top two or top three in Europe at the moment.”

“Portugal presses very well, with high intensity, and we have to think differently. In the first game, we managed to play through the central corridor, but now I think they will have a different plan. We have to be able to adapt to the circumstances.”

"It was probably one of the best games we've ever played in the first 60 minutes against Portugal. Hopefully we can repeat that. Now it might be different, because Portugal is playing at home, but we'll give our best and see how far we can go."

“We are not a low-block team. Always with our heads up, looking for the goal. I think the players also feel that we can take the game all the way to Portugal's goal.”