Team Focus: Portugal Golden Generation Hoping to Better Class of '94
It was a performance of the highest quality that saw this Portugal U21 side progress to the European U21 Championship final at the expense of pre-tournament favourites Germany. The ease with which they dumped Horst Hrubesch’s side out of the competition in Saturday’s 5-0 mauling means Rui Jorge’s team come into the final meeting with Sweden as overwhelming favourites and for good reason given their performances this summer.
Portugal are out to lift the trophy for the first time in their history having come perilously close to doing so back in 1994. Just over 20 years ago, a team containing the likes of Luis Figo, Rui Costa, Abel Xavier and Jorge Costa were overcome by a single Pierluigi Orlandini goal as Italy secured victory against their Portuguese counterparts. Now the current ‘golden generation’ will look to go one step further than their senior compatriots, with captain Sergio Oliviera leading the charge. The FC Porto midfielder, who has spent the last two seasons on loan with Pacos Ferreira, has gained a better WhoScored rating (8.18) than any other player at the tournament.
In fact, three of the current top five best-rated players at the competition are Portuguese - João Mário (7.94) and Bernardo Silva (7.77) both star in the rankings - while the coveted William Carvalho (7.64) is the 8th best-rated player at the tournament. Meanwhile the defence has remained solid, conceding just 1 goal so far, that an 89th-mintute equaliser to Simon Tibbling in the group stages that saw both Portugal and Sweden progress to the knockout phase of the competition.
The two teams now are gearing up to contest the 2015 final, with Portugal tipped to come out on top despite playing out a stalemate just a matter of days ago. Sweden are not to be undermined, but the feeling is that the Esperanças will be too powerful for their Scandinavian opponents. Should victory be attained by Portugal, it’s fair to say that their dominating midfield will have played a crucial role in doing so. Much was made of duo Silva and Carvalho in the build up to the tournament and they have certainly lived up to the billing.
Silva, in particular, has excelled, with his directness a highlight at the competition to date. The Monaco attacker has completed more successful dribbles (21) than any other player at the European U21 Championship, with Jorge’s side benefitting from the 20-year-old’s deployment behind the striker in a 4-3-1-2 formation. Here, Silva is given a license to roam across the attacking third, which renders him difficult to track and, as a result, makes it easier for him to create chances for his teammates.
However, it’s not only his dribbling ability that has won him further adulation. While handed a free role to express the creative side of his game, Silva has also impressed when Portugal have not been in possession. No player has won the ball more times in the midfield third than the Monaco man (21), with his tenacity evident in the 5-0 win over Germany at the weekend, only accentuating his statistically calculated WhoScored strength of ‘defensive contribution’.
Against Germany, the Portugal attackers did not let the opposition settle, despite their continuous attempts to play out from the back. As a result, Germany struggled to gain a foothold in the game and were immediately pinned back by Portugal due to their high pressing system. It wasn’t just Silva pressing forward to help the energetic Ivan Cavaleiro and Ricardo Pereira, however, with Oliveira, Carvalho and Mário each carrying out their necessary duties with aplomb.
Carvalho in particular has maximised his vision to help keep Portugal ticking over. An average of 80 passes per game is the most of all players at the tournament, with the 23-year-old boasting a notable pass success rate of 87.2%. While a majority of these have been to either the left or the right - only Matthias Ginter (185) has played more passes sideways than Carvalho (181) - the youngster’s retention and recycling of the ball has added to his numerous admirers. Continuously linked with a move to a Premier League team, potential suitors will have been suitably impressed by what they have seen so far from the talented youngster.
However, it perhaps goes without saying that Oliveira has been one of, if not the, breakthrough star of the tournament. The midfielder has won the WhoScored man of the match award in 2 of his 4 appearances at the competition and while he may not have been well known outside of Portugal prior to this summer, it’s fair to say that, on the back of the U21 Euros, the 23-year-old has emerged as one of the finest midfielders in his age group in Europe.
With Carvalho the deepest lying of the midfield triumvirate in support of Silva, Oliveira is allowed to break forward and support the attack. Indeed, with Silva's clever movement in the final third, it’s no surprise that Oliveira has both played more successful passes in the final third (77) and more key passes (11) than any other player at the European U21 Championship. As the creator-in-chief in the Portugal midfield, Jorge’s captain has undertaken his duties with poise, and it’s evident opposing sides have looked to stop him at any given opportunity.
Only Joshua Kimmich (13) and Domenico Berardi (12) have been fouled more times at the tournament than Oliveira (11). As hard as teams try, however, they have been unable to limit his influence in the middle of the park, and his style of play has been likened to that of Barcelona star Ivan Rakitic. His all-round midfield ability suggests the comparisons aren’t without reason. Both are happy to get on the ball as regularly as possible and drive the team forward from the middle of the park, dominating in central areas in the process.
Of course, Mário makes up the midfield quartet, with his boundless energy suiting the foursome in central areas. 2 goals and 1 assist have helped the Sporting star make an immediate impact in the Czech Republic, while 2.3 successful dribbles, 2 key passes and 2.5 tackles per game means Jorge has the ideal blend of players to perform the necessary responsibilities in the midfield third at his disposal.
José Sá, Cavaleiro and Raphael Guerreiro, among others, have all put in a good account of themselves at the European U21 Championship for Portugal, of that there is no doubt. However, it’s their midfield quartet that has played the biggest role in their progression to the final of the European U21 Championship and one would not bet against the current crop bettering the class of ’94 on Tuesday evening.
Do you think Portugal will come away victorious in Tuesday's European U21 Championship final or will Sweden upset the odds? Let us know in the comments below
