class=”article_teaser__2t5do”>The holders of the UEFA Nations League have been in strong defensive form and we are backing another low-scoring game in the Portuguese capital
Portugal welcome France to the Estadio da Luz on Saturday evening in Group A3 of the UEFA Nations League.
Both sides have 10 points after four matches in the group and the two respective winners of the last two major international tournaments played out a 0-0 draw when they met in Paris last month.
Portugal vs France Latest Odds
France suffered a shock 2-0 friendly defeat to Finland on Wednesday evening and Les Bleus are the outsiders for this weekend’s clash, priced at 2/1 (3.00) with bet365.
Portugal have not lost a competitive game on home soil for over six years and are offered at 29/20 (2.45) with the draw at 21/10 (3.10).
Portugal vs France Team News
Didier Deschamps named an experimental side against Finland friendly but the likes of Antoine Griezmann, Raphael Varane and N’Golo Kante should all come back into the starting eleven.
Kingsley Coman did not feature having picked up a knock in training, while Kylian Mbappe was also a spectator for the game with a hamstring problem that is likely to impede his involvement.
Portugal also fielded a second string side in their friendly win over Andorra with Cristiano Ronaldo, Joao Felix and Bernardo Silva all set to come back into the starting eleven on Saturday.
Portugal vs France Preview
The Portuguese are one of the most in-form sides in Europe at the moment, recording six wins and two draws in their last eight matches.
What has been striking about Fernando Santos’ side is not their superb attacking talent, but rather their defensive solidity which has seen them concede just one goal in those eight matches.
Clean sheets have been racked up against the likes of Spain and Sweden while also shutting out France when they met last month, and given Portugal’s strong home record, they will be confident of another strong defensive showing.
Les Bleus have not been overly prolific in recent games, particularly on the road with four of their last six away games seeing under 2.5 goals and so opposing another high-scoring encounter in Lisbon makes sense.
Portugal vs France Tips and Predictions
Under 2.5 goals and both teams to score ‘no’ is offered at 11/10 (2.10) and looks like a solid selection for this weekend’s meeting.
Odds correct at the time of writing. Please gamble responsibly.
