Hopp Schwyz or Portuguese Fiesta?

It’s down to the wire in the 22nd World Cup. No team can now afford a bad game and a defeat in the upcoming knockout round. In the last World Cup round of 16, it comes to the duel between Portugal and Switzerland.

The best bookmakers see the southern Europeans as relatively clear favourites in this encounter. The Portugal vs. Switzerland bet on the Santos team is therefore not offered with the highest odds.

The Portuguese were already one of the few tournament favourites at this World Cup who were able to convince in the preliminary round. After only two games, they were already qualified for the last 16. In the final group match against South Korea, coach Santos could afford the luxury of sparing some of his regular players for the upcoming knockout match against the Swiss. The defeat in the last group game was accepted as a result.

It was a different story for the Swiss, who had to put everything on the line in their last group match against Serbia. A defeat would have meant elimination for the “Nati” in the group phase. So the favourites from Portugal will be better rested for the upcoming round of 16. This is certainly an aspect that should not be ignored in the Portugal vs. Switzerland prediction.

Portugal – Statistics & current form

While many supposed favourites struggled through their preliminary round group or even had to pull out altogether, the southern Europeans were convincing in the preliminary round. After a somewhat shaky 3-2 win over Ghana in the opening game, Uruguay were beaten 2-0. This meant that Santos’ team had already qualified for the round of 16 after the first two days of group play and did not have to tremble until the end like many other major football nations.

As a result, Portugal could even afford the luxury of sparing six regular players for the last 16 in their last group match against South Korea. The fact that they lost after taking the lead for the first time in the history of the World Cup probably didn’t bother Santos much, as they were still the group winners after the match.

Last World Cup chance for Ronaldo

This year’s tournament in Qatar is probably the last chance for the now 37-year-old superstar Cristiano Ronaldo to win the World Cup, which is still missing in his great career.

Sure, there have been older players in World Cup history, but it is unlikely that CR7 will still be on the pitch at the next World Cup. The same fate is shared by his long-time rival for the Ballon d’Or, Lionel Messi, who is two years younger and has not yet lifted the trophy either.

At least in the round of 16, however, the Argentines have the supposedly easier task with Australia, while the Portugal vs Switzerland odds already suggest that Portugal will face a tricky task. And after winning the European Championship in 2016, the last 16 has already been the final stop for Santos’ team at the last two major tournaments. In fact, Portugal have gone five World Cup knockout matches without a direct win. This time, after the convincing preliminary round, they naturally want to go further than the round of the last 16.

To do so, Ronaldo & Co. must first overcome the hurdle of Switzerland. At least in the recent past, they have usually had the edge against Switzerland. Portugal won three of the last four encounters against the Swiss. And the Portuguese are also stronger individually. However, this is no guarantee of success at the World Cup, as some of the favourites have already experienced in recent weeks.

And Switzerland is also a very unpleasant opponent in the last 16. Nevertheless, we are making a prediction on the southern Europeans in Portugal against Switzerland, who have a good chance of winning this match if they repeat their performances from the first two games of this World Cup. Missing from the round of 16 will be Mendes, Pereira and Otavio.

Predicted line-up of Portugal:
D. Costa – Cancelo, Pepe, Ruben Dias, Guerreiro – Neves, Silva, Carvalho, Fernandes – Ronaldo, Joao Felix

Last matches played by Portugal:

World Cup Group H
02/12/2022 – South Korea 2 – 1 Portugal

29/11/2022 – Portugal 2 – 0 Uruguay

24/11/2022 – Portugal 3 – 2 Ghana

Friendly matches
18/11/2022 – Portugal 4 – 0 Nigeria

UEFA Nations League A Grp. 2
28/09/2022 – Portugal 0 – 1 Spain

Switzerland – Statistics & current form

The Swiss showed that they are a force to be reckoned with on the international stage last year at the European Championship. World champions France were sensationally knocked out of the tournament in the last 16 and Spain also had to go all the way to the penalty shootout to beat the Swiss. And at this World Cup finals, too, they mastered the not entirely easy group phase with two victories against Cameroon and Serbia.

Only against top favourite Brazil did they lose out. Coach Murat Yakin, known as a former Bundesliga player from Stuttgart and Kaiserslautern, who was not without controversy at the beginning of his tenure, has thus silenced his critics for the time being. Nevertheless, Switzerland is only an outsider in the round of 16 – the Portugal vs. Switzerland odds for a win by the “Nati” are incomparably higher than for a win by the Portuguese.

First World Cup quarter-final since 1954?

In Qatar, Switzerland now has the opportunity to make history. Switzerland has not qualified for a World Cup quarter-final since 1954. There have also never been three victories at a single World Cup final tournament. And the solid and well-rehearsed Yakin team certainly has the potential to upset the favourites in this round of 16.

However, the Portuguese have not necessarily been among the “Nati’s” favourite opponents in recent duels. Three of the last four duels were won by Portugal.

In order to beat the Portuguese, Switzerland will certainly need a good day and a goalkeeper in good form, Sommer, who in some games has caused the opposing strikers to despair, but whose use is still questionable. Kobel, however, is another strong substitute.

Nevertheless, the Portugal vs. Switzerland bet is more likely on the Portuguese, who could reach a World Cup quarter-final for the first time since 2006. The participation of Sommer’s club colleague Elvedi is also uncertain due to illness, and captain Xhaka could still face trouble from the world governing body in the form of a ban after his obscene guests in the direction of the Serbian bench in the last group game.

Predicted line-up of Switzerland:
Kobel – Rodriguez, Akanji, Schär, Widmer – Xhaka, Freuler, Vargas, Sow, Shaqiri – Embolo

Last matches played by Switzerland:

WM Group G
03/12/2022 – Serbia 2 – 3 Switzerland

28/11/2022 – Brazil 1 – 0 Switzerland

24/11/2022 – Switzerland 1 – 0 Cameroon

Friendlies
17/11/2022 – Switzerland 0 – 2 Ghana

UEFA Nations League A Grp. 2
28/09/2022 – Switzerland 2 – 1 Czech Republic

Portugal – Switzerland Direct comparison / H2H-Balance

Portugal and Switzerland have faced each other a total of 25 times so far. The overall balance is in favour of the Swiss with eleven victories, Portugal have won nine times and five other duels have not found a winner. Most of the encounters took place in the World Cup and European Championship qualifiers, while Portugal and Switzerland have only faced each other once in a major tournament. In 2008, the Alpine republic won 2-0 against the southern Europeans at their home European Championship – Murat Yakin’s brother Hakan scored twice.

The Portuguese, who had already qualified at the time, were without many of their regular players in that match, however, so Switzerland achieved its historic first European Championship victory. In fact, seven of the eleven victories against Portugal so far have come on home soil.

Portugal – Switzerland Tip

Portugal could have problems in this match if Santos does not finally stabilise the often shaky defence around Pepe, who is now 39 years old. The often unsteady performances of his team should also be a cause for concern. Switzerland also won the last Nations League encounter. Nevertheless, the Portuguese are not unjustifiably favourites in this encounter. The Portuguese have already won three of their last four matches against the “Nati”.

In any case, there is no need to discuss the individual class of the players, who are all under contract with top European clubs. Yakin’s team will also need a great day next Tuesday to stop the strong Portuguese. Therefore, the Portugal vs. Switzerland tip goes to the Portuguese.

Apart from Switzerland’s meagre 1-0 win in their last meeting, the past duels between the two teams have always been high-scoring. In five of the last six encounters, there have been at least two goals in the match. The last team to score nil against Santos’ side at a World Cup was Germany in 2014, and since then Portugal have scored at least once in nine matches. They have taken the lead in eight of those nine encounters.