Euro 2024: Georgia vs Portugal tips and predictions - Minnows to have their moment in heavy defeat
- George Dempsey
- 25 June 2024
Portugal have wrapped up Group E but that won’t stop them from beating up poor old Georgia in Gelsenkirchen on Wednesday (2000 BST).
Minnows Georgia will be hoping for a fairytale ending to their first-ever European Championship when they face 2016 winners Portugal.
The Bulldogs have lived up to their name with some determined performances in Germany, more than justifying our suggestion they’re an outsider to reach the Round of 16.
It’s in our nature to root for a good underdog story and there’s little doubt that all of Europe, bar one small country on the Iberian Peninsula, will be rooting for Willy Sagnol’s side.
The first-time qualifiers have brought a level of joy to Euro 2024 but when you step back and analyse their matches, you have to accept they’ve been outclassed.
Sure, they did create plenty against Turkey in an end-to-end match, but the Turks must have felt they’d always create more chances. Likewise, the Czech Republic recorded 3xG despite drawing.
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Portugal may rest a raft of key players on Wednesday but that doesn’t offer much hope, as Roberto Martinez has arguably the deepest squad at the tournament to pick from.
An early error allowed Kerem Akturkoglu a glorious chance in the sixth minute but after that, the door was slammed shut as 41-year-old Pepe kept Turkey at arm's length.
Bernardo Silva wasn’t as forgiving when he slammed home the group winner's first big chance. Turkey soon buckled under the pressure and it was over when Bruno Fernandes added a third.
Portugal had gears they could have gone through, but they weren’t needed. It was a thoroughly convincing performance and one that suggests they could make mincemeat of Georgia.
Still, it would be fitting if Georgia had one final moment, and we hope Georges Mikautadze can be the one to provide. In doing so, he’d join the European Championship history books.
Savo Milosevic (2000), Milan Baros (2004), Ruud van Nistelrooy (2004), Lukas Podolski (2008), Gareth Bale (2016) and Cristiano Ronaldo (2021) have one thing in common.
As well as being pretty good at kicking a football, all have scored a goal in all three of their country's group matches at a European Championship.
Team news
Georgia have no fresh injury concerns so they may be unchanged with the dangerous duo of Mikautadze and Napoli’s Khvicha Kvaratskheila in the attack.
Pepe can enjoy a well-earned rest on Wednesday as Antonio Silva partners Ruben Dias in defence. Rafael Leao will also sit out due to suspension.
Nelson Semedo, Ruben Neves and Joao Felix are among those who Martinez could rotate in for the final group game.
Goncalo Ramos may replace Cristiano Ronaldo in the starting XI, provided the Portugal legend is happy to sit out.
Key stats
Georgia have scored in 10 of their last 11 matches
During qualifying, Georgia were beaten 3-1 and 7-1 by Spain
Portugal have scored 39 goals in their last 12 matches
Portugal have scored three or more goals in five of their last 10 matches
