On Monday evening, underdogs Slovenia will aim to upset the odds when they take on favoured Portugal in the round of 16.
Frankfurt’s Deutsche Bank Park will host the two sides, who have previously faced each other on just one occasion in the past.
If you’re looking for expert analysis and Euro 2024 football predictions, we’ve got you covered. Read on to discover what Forebet’s AI algorithm predicts.
Incansáveis! 🫶🥹 #PartilhaAPaixão pic.twitter.com/oVjEmb1ioQ— Portugal (@selecaoportugal) June 27, 2024
Incansáveis! 🫶🥹 #PartilhaAPaixão pic.twitter.com/oVjEmb1ioQ
Portugal kicked off their European Championship campaign with back-to-back victories, defeating the Czech Republic 2-1 before dispatching Turkey 3-0.
However, their group-stage campaign ended on a sour note, as they suffered a shock 2-0 defeat to Georgia on Wednesday.
Despite racking up 73% possession and 22 shots in Gelsenkirchen, the Portuguese failed to find a way through against the Georgians, who secured a memorable triumph.
Still, Portugal have won 15 of their previous 18 games across all competitions, so they will be confident of reaching the quarter-finals.
As for Slovenia, they booked their place in the knockout phase after recording three consecutive draws, qualifying from Group C as one of the best third-placed teams.
Following 1-1 draws against Denmark and Serbia, the Slovenians held England to a goalless draw, despite seeing just 26% of the ball.
Trends show that Slovenia have drawn five of their last seven matches across all competitions, recording three 1-1 draws in their previous four outings.
It is also worth noting that Slovenia have avoided defeat in each of their last nine matches, so they will fancy their chances of causing an upset on Monday.
Head-to-head: Slovenia claimed an impressive 2-0 victory over Portugal in a friendly back in March, meaning they boast a 100% record in this fixture.
The Portuguese dominated the game, registering 65% possession and 10 shots, but the Slovenians managed to convert two of their four shots on target.
Team news: Bruno Fernandes, Bernardo Silva, Joao Cancelo, Ruben Dias and Pepe are all expected to return to Portugal’s starting XI after being rested against Georgia.
On the flip side, Andraz Sporar will likely partner star striker Benjamin Sesko in attack, with Slovenia expected to line up in a 4-4-2 formation.
Regardless of Slovenia’s impressive recent record, Portugal look set to bounce back from the defeat to Georgia with a comfortable win in Frankfurt.
Forebet predicts that Portugal will score over 1.5 goals and keep a clean sheet on their way to dispatching Slovenia.