Spain vs Portugal Open Thread

Use this thread to discuss this much anticipated match where four Real Madrid players start. In case you missed Lucas’s post earlier, these are the starting line-ups:

Spain Starting XI: De Gea, Nacho, Piqué, Ramos, Alba, Busquets, Iniesta, Koke, Isco, Silva, Costa.

Portugal Starting XI: Patricio, Soares, Pepe, Fonte, Guerreiro, Silva, Moutinho, Carvalho, Fernandes, Guedes, Ronaldo.

The biggest question mark was always going to be the right-back slot, where Carvajal is still not fit enough to play. Nacho slides in at that position. Not too surprising, as he was always going to be a safe choice. Odriozola may have a higher ceiling, but Fernando Hierro opted to roll with Nacho as a more stable choice against Portugal’s terrifying flanks, where Ronaldo and Guedes — among others — will roam on the counter-attack.

ICYMI, here’s my review of Achraf Hakimi’s performance (in heart-breaking loss) against Iran. Achraf played as a left-back.

Comment away.