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Portugal and Spain will kickstart their 2022-23 UEFA Nations League campaigns tonight as they lock horns with each other at the Estadio Benito Villamarin.
Footballers seem to be getting no time for respite of late. The taxing 2021-22 season drew to a close just last week but the European players are back in action in the UEFA Nations League from tonight.
Portugal will take on Spain in the most high-profile match of Matchday 1. Football fans will be excited to see the two powerhouses go up against each other. Both teams will want to start the season on a positive note and nothing short of an emphatic performance is going to cut it for either side.
Although the two teams are pretty well-matched, we believe that Portugal might have the edge tonight. Without further ado, let's take a look at five reasons why Portugal will win against Spain tonight.
#5 Spain lacking creativity in midfield
Liverpool midfielder Thiago Alcantara has withdrawn from the Spain squad. It's quite understandable because he just played in the UEFA Champions League final last weekend. It will still be a huge blow for La Roja as Thiago has been in fine form of late and he can pull the strings in midfield like no other.
Another major absentee is Pedri, who has been missing in action since picking up a hamstring injury in mid-April. As such, Luis Enrique is likely to field Sergio Busquets, Koke and Gavi in midfield.
While all three players possess plenty of quality, they come up a bit short on the creative front.
#4 Portugal have a well-balanced midfield
Veteran Joao Moutinho is expected to get the nod to play at the base of midfield for Portugal tonight. He excels at controlling the tempo of proceedings from deep and his composure and game-reading ability will be crucial to Portugal's chances.
Bernardo Silva and Bruno Fernandes are likely to operate ahead of Moutinho. We're well aware of how hard Silva works in midfield. Not only is he a relentless presence at the centre of the pitch, but he can also be a creative force.
Fernandes is coming off a rather underwhelming season with Manchester United. But he is one of the most creative midfielders in Europe. He just needs a moment to create a difference as we have so often seen and alongside Silva, Fernandes could cause plenty of problems for Spain.
#3 Spain defence looks vulnerable
With Aymeric Laporte missing out due to injury, Enrique will have to find a suitable partner for Villarreal centre-back Pau Torres. Neither Diego Llorente nor Eric Garcia have been in good form. As a result, Enrique might choose to pair Inigo Martinez with Torres.
Cesar Azpilicueta and Jordi Alba are expected to start as full-backs. Both players are into their 30s and although they are experienced campaigners, they could struggle if Portugal create overloads on the flanks with their pacy attackers.
#2 Joao Cancelo and Nuno Mendes could wreak havoc on the wings
Joao Cancelo and Raphael Guerreiro are expected to start as Portugal's full-backs. However, Nuno Mendes is also a part of the squad and the youngster had a pretty impressive debut season at Paris Saint-Germain.
Cancelo is one of the best and most well-rounded full-backs on the planet. He is astute in both a defensive and offensive sense. As such, Guerreiro or Mendes, whoever starts on the left wing, will be given the freedom to roam forward a lot more.
All three full-backs are capable of pulling off the spectacular. They have the ability and pace to dominate the veteran Spanish full-backs tonight. If Mendes is brought on from the bench, he could cause some real trouble to tired legs.
#1 Cristiano Ronaldo and Portugal's attacking depth
Cristiano Ronaldo fared pretty well as Manchester United's striker this season despite most of teammates having extremely disappointing campaigns. He is the all-time leading goalscorer in men's international football with 115 goals from 186 appearances.
Ronaldo has delivered so regularly for Portugal all throughout his career that it'd be silly to think he might not have a huge impact. Fernando Santos has a host of players to pick from to support Ronaldo.
Diogo Jota, Rafael Leao, Otavio Monteiro, Goncalo Guede, Andre Silva and Ricardo Horta are all options in attack for Portugal.
