Portugal readies for the semifinal stage
Preparations for Portugal's Nations League Semi-Final Kick Off
Gearing up for the Nation's League semi-final against Germany, Portugal's football team starts their training sessions at the City of Football in Oeiras this Sunday. The team, led by Coach Roberto Martínez, has summoned 27 players, although only 26 are allowed to travel to German soil.
A training session is set for 6:00 PM, with the first 15 minutes earmarked for social engagement. Before that, at 5:00 PM, a yet-unannounced player will address the press at the City of Football during a press conference.
Key Players Away on Champions League Duty
Despite the excitement, it appears that four key players won't join the squad immediately. Nuno Mendes, Vitinha, João Neves, and Gonçalo Ramos are expected to be absent due to their recent Champions League triumph with Paris Saint-Germain, having lifted the trophy on German soil on Saturday.
If Portugal prevails against Germany, they'll contest the final on June 8, again at the Allianz Arena, against either France or Spain – their competitors in the other semi-final match. A defeat against Germany would result in a third-place playoff on the same day, but in Stuttgart.
Portugal's Mixed Nations League History
Portugal, under the continued command of Fernando Santos, clinched the first edition of the Nation's League in 2019. However, they missed out on the final four phase in both the 2020/21 and 2022/23 seasons.
Enrichment Data: While the search results do not specifically mention key players missing due to the Champions League, they do suggest that some players like Joao Neves, Vitinha, and Nuno Mendes may not start against Germany owing to their recent participation in the tournament[2]. As for the reason behind the absence of these key players, the search results do not provide concrete details[3]. Injuries and selection decisions could also have contributed to the squad as mentioned in the general squad announcements[4].
With the Champions League victory by Paris Saint-Germain, players like Nuno Mendes, Vitinha, João Neves, and Gonçalo Rames might not join Portugal's football team immediately for their European Nations League Semi-Final against Germany, as they remain involved in European-leagues. This situation could pose a challenge for Coach Roberto Martínez as he prepares his team for the upcoming Premier League clash in Germany.
