Portugal will be handicapped by the absence of Nuno Tavares going in the Nations League clashes against Denmark. The Portuguese FA said Tuesday evening that Tavares instead will return to Lazio to recover.
“Nuno Tavares is returning to his club, where he will continue his recovery,” added the FPF, without detailing whether or not the defender will be replaced.
The Arsenal loanee suffered his third injury of the season in training ahead of Lazio’s home tie against Udinese on 10 March, with reports confirming a muscular problem which raised fears of another extended absence.
He did then followingly play 67 minutes for the Roman outfit in their 1-1 draw against Viktoria Plzen in the Europa League but was then benched in the 5-0 defeat against Bologna on Sunday.
The team coached by Roberto Martínez will hold their final training session on Wednesday morning, still in Portugal, before travelling to Denmark.
The first meeting with Denmark will be on Thursday in Copenhagen, at the Parken Stadium, at 20:45 (19:45).
The second and decisive clash with the Scandinavians will be on Sunday at the José Alvalade Stadium in Lisbon, also at 19:45, and is worth the ticket to the Nations League Final Four.
The Selecao reached the quarter-finals of the competition after winning their group with four wins and two draws, while Denmark finished second in their group with two wins, two draws and two defeats.
Portugal won the first edition of the Nations League in 2019, having failed to qualify for the Final Four in 2020/21 and 2022/23.
Portuguese squad:
Goalkeepers: Diogo Costa (FC Porto), Rui Silva (Sporting) and José Sá (Wolverhampton, England).
Defenders: Diogo Dalot (Manchester United, England), Nélson Semedo (Wolverhampton, England), Nuno Mendes (Paris Saint-Germain, France), Gonçalo Inácio (Sporting), Rúben Dias (Manchester City, England), António Silva (Benfica) and Renato Veiga (Juventus, Italy).
Midfielders: João Palhinha (Bayern Munich, Ale), Rúben Neves (Al Hilal, Ara), João Neves (Paris Saint-Germain, Fra), Vitinha (Paris Saint-Germain, Fra), Bernardo Silva (Manchester City, Ing) and Bruno Fernandes (Manchester United, Ing).
Forwards: João Félix (AC Milan, Ita), Rafael Leão (AC Milan, Ita), Francisco Trincão (Sporting), Geovany Quenda (Sporting), Francisco Conceição (Juventus, Ita), Pedro Neto (Chelsea, Ing), Diogo Jota (Liverpool, Ing), Gonçalo Ramos (Paris Saint-Germain, Fra) and Cristiano Ronaldo (Al Nassr, Ara).
