Having kicked off their World Cup campaign with a 3-2 victory over Ghana in Group H, Portugal have the chance to seal early progression against a Uruguay side coming in off the back of a disappointing 0-0 draw against South Korea in their opening game.
In a game set to be filled to the brim with quality, Portugal midfielder Bernardo Silva was quick to praise in-form Real Madrid star Fede Valverde, saying: “He’s a tough player to stop. He is a good team player, a strong player. He’s one of the best midfielders in the world, not just with the ball but without the ball too. He does a lot to create space for his teammates.”
The Madrid man has enjoyed his best season yet in the Spanish capital, with eight goals and four assists to his name in 20 games in all competitions.
Meanwhile, even though Portugal’s standout is usually assumed to be a certain Cristiano Ronaldo, Rafael Leao enjoyed quite the performance last time out, even scoring what turned out to be the winning goal against Ghana. Uruguay will see stopping the AC Milan winger as a vital part of their game-plan.
Score prediction: Portugal 2-1 Uruguay
