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The first quarter-final of the European Football Championship will take place on Thursday at the Warsaw National Stadium. In the last minutes both teams secured a spot in the knockout stage. Let's take a look at the future opponents' perspectives and the odds set by the bookmakers at "TonyBet".
Portugal - 1.77; Draw - 3.50; Czech Republic - 5.00
In the quarter-final of the continental championship in 1996, the Czechs made it all the way to the final. The finalists of the 2004 final, the Portuguese, also failed to triumph. However, the most prestigious European football trophy was won by the then Czechoslovakia in 1976.
Before the start of the championship, many were skeptical about the Czech Republic's chances of advancing past the group stage. Nothing changed after the first matches against the Russian national team, and the crushing defeat by 1-4 was more a predictable result than an unexpected one. Against the struggling Greeks in a critical match, they managed to secure a victory by a minimal margin, ultimately dealt with Poland, and took the top spot in Group A. The unexpected success comes from a team that combines experience and youth.
Although the Czechs overcame the barrier of one of the weakest groups, they convincingly dominated the match against the host Poland, so underestimating this team is simply not an option. The main concern before the quarter-final battle is the health of veteran T. Rosicky, whose experience would surely come in handy when fighting against a national team brimming with top-level stars.
The so-called "group of death" did not hinder the Portuguese national team from finishing second and progressing. The team played well in the first match against Germany, but conceded a goal at the very end and lost. The match against Denmark was also not a walk in the park, and they ultimately achieved a crucial victory with a score of 3-2. The final match against a nearly hopeless Netherlands did not promise anything good for Portugal, as the result quickly turned against them, complicating their chances to compete for the second spot in the group. However, then one of the best European players, C. Ronaldo, spoke up, and his two goals ensured a step forward to the next stage.
The Czechs certainly do not plan to sit back and defend, as they are much better at attacking and controlling the game. Meanwhile, Portugal seems to be getting stronger with each match, but they must improve their defense, which was shaky in the group stage matches.
