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On Sunday night, fans will see an exciting clash between Portugal and Netherlands in the final of UEFA Nations League at Estadio do Dragao. Both sides will have a point to prove in this vital clash. After missing out on Euro 2016 and World Cup 2018, Netherlands will try to revamp their lost glory by winning the Nations League.
Portugal, on the other hand, will look forward to continuing their dominance in the European circuit after winning Euro 2016. Both the teams previously faced off in an international friendly, where the Dutch triumphed over the Portuguese 3-0.
The tie will not only be a match about winning the competition but also a stage for certain players to prove their might. The first amongst them will be about between Cristiano Ronaldo and Virgil van Dijk. The special spotlight will also be there for the midfield battle were Bernardo Silva and Frenkie de Jong will battle it out. Mathijs de Ligt will be eager not to repeat the mistake which handed England a penalty in the semi-final. Let us take a look at 3 reasons why Portugal are favorites to win the UEFA Nations League.
#3 Home support
Portugal beat Italy and Poland to emerge top of Group 3 and progressed into the semi-final. In the semi-final, they cruised past Switzerland in front of the fans. On Sunday, the final will once again be played with huge home support. Cristiano Ronaldo's hat trick helped his side secure a place in the final and home fans would surely be excited for the upcoming match. They will probably be cheering their hearts out in the support of their favorite team and the Dutch side, with a young squad, are certain enough to feel the pressure.
No matter how much talent and tactics both the teams posses, at the end of the day, it is always a matter of nerves in any final, especially when it is played at the home ground of one of the two finalists. Throughout the ninety minutes, Portugal will be having a twelfth man in the game, i.e. the huge number of supporters in a stadium with a capacity of 50,000 odd.
#2 Bernardo Silva’s dominance in the midfield
The midfield will be the key to the match with prominent players like Frenkie de Jong looking for an opportunity to prove a point. But the man to watch will surely be Bernardo Silva. He was absolutely mesmerizing in the semi-final as he made 4 key passes and produced a man of the match performance. But that was not all. As a part of his defensive duties, Silva also notched up to produce five successful tackles, a significant record for any player on the pitch.
The midfield general in Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City has already proved his worth in the Premier League and is now proving the same in his national colors. He is a world class player who not only fancies tricks and turns but is also someone who can run for the team and give it all on the pitch with his heart-on-sleeve mentality.
#1 The comeback of Cristiano Ronaldo
Portugal started the UEFA Nations League without their man main as he played no role in the competition last year. However, the semi-final was a tough clash against the mighty Swiss and there was no better moment for Ronaldo’s resurgence in his national colors.
Although the hype surrounding young starlet, Joao Felix was starting to grow in the semi-final, Ronaldo’s emphatic hat trick turned the spotlight back to the five-time Ballon D’or winner. It was the 7th time he had scored a hat trick while on international duty.
If the Netherlands does have an eye on the trophy, their defensive pairing of Virgil van Dijk and Mathijs de Ligt needs to keep a tight check on the Juventus man who will look for opportunities to bring glory to his national team. One sloppy mistake from the opposition and he knows the perfect way to utilize it.
Van Dijk will also have a new challenge up his sleeves. Having stopped Lionel Messi from scoring in the Champions League semi-final, the defender will look forward to replicating that performance when he faces the talented Portuguese, who will not stop at any cost to clinch the silverware.
