Hopefully the last injured players for this friendly..
Portugal squad: Machado and Veloso in, Varela and Coentrao out
Goalkeepers: Eduardo (Genoa), Rui Patricio (Sporting)
Defenders: Bruno Alves (Zenit Saint Petersburg), Bosingwa (Chelsea), Joao Pereira (Sporting), Ricardo Carvalho (Real Madrid), Pepe (Real Madrid)
Midfielders: Carlos Martins (Benfica), Joao Moutinho (FC Porto), Manuel Fernandes (Valencia), Paulo Machado (Toulouse), Miguel Veloso (Genoa), Raul Meireles (Liverpool)
Forwards: Cristiano Ronaldo (Real Madrid), Danny (Zenit Saint Petersburg), Helder Postiga (Sporting), Hugo Almeida (Werder Bremen), Nani (Manchester United)
source: http://www.portugoal.net/index.php/national-team/18505-portugal-call-ups-for-machado-a-veloso
Portugal squad: Machado and Veloso in, Varela and Coentrao out
“We have to show respect but not too much” - Manuel Fernandes
Midfielders Paulo Machado and Miguel Veloso have been called up to the Portugal squad for Wednesday’s friendly against Spain in Lisbon.
The duo were not in Paulo Bento’s original 18-man squad, but have been drafted in after both Silvestre Varela and Fabio Coentrao were forced to pull out through injury.
Veloso has been in good form for Genoa since recovering from injury, and the fact he can also play at left-back - where coach Paulo Bento used him several times when the two were at Sporting - no doubt counted in his favour following Coentrao’s withdrawal.
Indeed, who Bento will choose in the full-back positions is among the most intriguing questions as regards the starting line-up. Jose Bosingwa can also play on the left. The Chelsea man’s preferred position is at right-back, but Bosingwa recognises that he has tough competition for that place in the form of Joao Pereira.
Good to be back
“I saw Portugal’s last two qualification games and I really liked the performances of Joao Pereira. It’s going to be an interesting fight for the starting berth. I’m happy to be back. This team has a good competitive spirit and there is an excellent atmosphere in the Seleccao,” said Bosingwa.
Midfielder Manuel Fernandes refused to talk about revenge against Portugal’s World Cup conquerors, but believes the national team has what it takes to win.
“We want to win, but we are not thinking about revenge. It’s going to be difficult to play Spain, but it will be a good test against the strongest team in the world at the moment. We have to show respect, but not too much because they are a team that likes to have a lot of possession and if we let them have the ball it will get complicated,” said the Valencia player.
Manchester United winger Nani is also looking forward to what he classified as “a good test,” adding that, “if we win it will give us great confidence for the following matches.”
Updated squad:
Goalkeepers: Eduardo (Genoa), Rui Patricio (Sporting)
Defenders: Bruno Alves (Zenit Saint Petersburg), Bosingwa (Chelsea), Joao Pereira (Sporting), Ricardo Carvalho (Real Madrid), Pepe (Real Madrid)
Midfielders: Carlos Martins (Benfica), Joao Moutinho (FC Porto), Manuel Fernandes (Valencia), Paulo Machado (Toulouse), Miguel Veloso (Genoa), Raul Meireles (Liverpool)
Forwards: Cristiano Ronaldo (Real Madrid), Danny (Zenit Saint Petersburg), Helder Postiga (Sporting), Hugo Almeida (Werder Bremen), Nani (Manchester United)
Zenit crowned champions in Russia
Portugal internationals Bruno Alves, Fernando Meira and Danny are celebrating this evening after Zenit Saint-Petersburg won the Russian Premier League. With former Porto stopped Alves and ex-Sporting midfielder Danny in the side, Zenit hammered Rostov 5-0 at the Petrovskij Stadium to remain eight points clear of CSKA Moscow at the top of the table with just two matches remaining. Danny has been a major influence in Zenit’s title bid, starting 25 games and scoring ten times in the league from the team’s 28 matches. Alves, who joined from Porto in August has been a regular since his arrival, playing 13 matches, while Meira’s campaign has been less eventful, with the 32-year-old starting just five times in the league so far.
source: http://www.portugoal.net/index.php/more-zenit-news/18478-zenit-crowned-champions-in-russia
Goalkeepers: Eduardo (Genoa), Rui Patricio (Sporting)
Defenders: Bruno Alves (Zenit Saint Petersburg), Bosingwa (Chelsea), Joao Pereira (Sporting), Ricardo Carvalho (Real Madrid), Pepe (Real Madrid)
Midfielders: Carlos Martins (Benfica), Joao Moutinho (FC Porto), Manuel Fernandes (Valencia), Paulo Machado (Toulouse), Miguel Veloso (Genoa), Raul Meireles (Liverpool)
Forwards: Cristiano Ronaldo (Real Madrid), Danny (Zenit Saint Petersburg), Helder Postiga (Sporting), Hugo Almeida (Werder Bremen), Nani (Manchester United)
source: http://www.portugoal.net/index.php/national-team/18505-portugal-call-ups-for-machado-a-veloso
Portugal squad: Machado and Veloso in, Varela and Coentrao out
“We have to show respect but not too much” - Manuel Fernandes
Midfielders Paulo Machado and Miguel Veloso have been called up to the Portugal squad for Wednesday’s friendly against Spain in Lisbon.
The duo were not in Paulo Bento’s original 18-man squad, but have been drafted in after both Silvestre Varela and Fabio Coentrao were forced to pull out through injury.
Veloso has been in good form for Genoa since recovering from injury, and the fact he can also play at left-back - where coach Paulo Bento used him several times when the two were at Sporting - no doubt counted in his favour following Coentrao’s withdrawal.
Indeed, who Bento will choose in the full-back positions is among the most intriguing questions as regards the starting line-up. Jose Bosingwa can also play on the left. The Chelsea man’s preferred position is at right-back, but Bosingwa recognises that he has tough competition for that place in the form of Joao Pereira.
Good to be back
“I saw Portugal’s last two qualification games and I really liked the performances of Joao Pereira. It’s going to be an interesting fight for the starting berth. I’m happy to be back. This team has a good competitive spirit and there is an excellent atmosphere in the Seleccao,” said Bosingwa.
Midfielder Manuel Fernandes refused to talk about revenge against Portugal’s World Cup conquerors, but believes the national team has what it takes to win.
“We want to win, but we are not thinking about revenge. It’s going to be difficult to play Spain, but it will be a good test against the strongest team in the world at the moment. We have to show respect, but not too much because they are a team that likes to have a lot of possession and if we let them have the ball it will get complicated,” said the Valencia player.
Manchester United winger Nani is also looking forward to what he classified as “a good test,” adding that, “if we win it will give us great confidence for the following matches.”
Updated squad:
Goalkeepers: Eduardo (Genoa), Rui Patricio (Sporting)
Defenders: Bruno Alves (Zenit Saint Petersburg), Bosingwa (Chelsea), Joao Pereira (Sporting), Ricardo Carvalho (Real Madrid), Pepe (Real Madrid)
Midfielders: Carlos Martins (Benfica), Joao Moutinho (FC Porto), Manuel Fernandes (Valencia), Paulo Machado (Toulouse), Miguel Veloso (Genoa), Raul Meireles (Liverpool)
Forwards: Cristiano Ronaldo (Real Madrid), Danny (Zenit Saint Petersburg), Helder Postiga (Sporting), Hugo Almeida (Werder Bremen), Nani (Manchester United)
Zenit crowned champions in Russia
Portugal internationals Bruno Alves, Fernando Meira and Danny are celebrating this evening after Zenit Saint-Petersburg won the Russian Premier League. With former Porto stopped Alves and ex-Sporting midfielder Danny in the side, Zenit hammered Rostov 5-0 at the Petrovskij Stadium to remain eight points clear of CSKA Moscow at the top of the table with just two matches remaining. Danny has been a major influence in Zenit’s title bid, starting 25 games and scoring ten times in the league from the team’s 28 matches. Alves, who joined from Porto in August has been a regular since his arrival, playing 13 matches, while Meira’s campaign has been less eventful, with the 32-year-old starting just five times in the league so far.
source: http://www.portugoal.net/index.php/more-zenit-news/18478-zenit-crowned-champions-in-russia