Euro 2020 Preview: Hungary vs Portugal, key stats, line-ups, odds, prediction

Renato Sanchez-Cristiano Ronaldo-Joao Felix-Portugal
Renato Sanchez-Cristiano Ronaldo-Joao Felix-Portugal | Photo Credit: IMAGO

European Championship reigning champions Portugal will begin the defence of their title this week when they take on Hungary in their first group match of the summer tournament.  

Stadium: Puskas Arena (Budapest)

Key Statistics

Hungary are unbeaten in their last 11 matches (W7, D4. They have taken four wins from their last six games and kept four clean sheets in that period. The hosts have never beaten Portugal in 13 tries (D4, L9).

Portugal are unbeaten in their last six games (W4, D2). Their run of 11 Euros games without defeat is the second-longest unbeaten run in the competition’s history (W4, D7 – excludes penalties). Cristiano Ronaldo has scored four goals and delivered two assists in his last three games against Hungary.

Head to Head

Hungary won none; 4 draws; Portugal 9 wins; Hungary scored 10 goals against 30 by Portugal ( in total 13 previous matches)

Latest Performance

Hungary: WDWWWD (Goals for 13, Goals Against 4)

Portugal: WWDWDW (Goals for 13, Goals Against 5)

Hungary

After waiting for 30 years to get back to the European Championships, Hungary are making their second consecutive appearance in the continental showpiece this summer and are looking to make the most of their opportunity.

This will be their fourth appearance ever in the competition, and they will be considered a success here if they can navigate a difficult group that also has France and Germany.

They head into this tie on a good run of form as they are unbeaten in eleven games. In that period, they scored 20 times and were able to score two or more goals in six of those games. 

They only failed to score in two of those matches and kept six clean sheets in that period. 

Possible line-ups 

Peter Gulacsi, Adam Lang, Willi Orban, Attila Szalai, Gergo Lovrencsics, Laszlo Kleinheisler, Adam Nagy, David Siger, Attila Fiola, Adam Szalai, Nemanja Nikolic.

Portugal

Portugal are looking to become just the second nation after Spain to win back-to-back European Championships this year.

But they face the difficult task of qualifying from a tough group and will see this game against Hungary as their best chance of laying down a marker and taking control of the group. But they have a poor record in the opening games as they have failed to win each of their last five major tournament openers (D3, L2). 

However, a good history in the group stages of the European Championship suggests that they will be able to do just enough to make it to the next round. They have progressed into the knockout stages in all seven of their Euro appearances. 

Their form heading into this tournament is also decent as they have lost just once in 15 games—winning ten and drawing four in that period. 

They will fancy their chances against the Hungarians and will aim to score as much as possible here to keep an early distance between them and other teams. 

Possible line-ups 

Joao Cancelo is the only absentee for Portugal, with the defender since been replaced in the squad by Digo Dalot after testing positive for COVID-19.

Rui Patricio, Nelson Semedo, Pepe, Ruben Dias, Raphael Guerreiro, Danilo Pereira, Joao Moutinho, Bernardo Silva, Bruno Fernandes, Diogo Jota, Cristiano Ronaldo.

Betting Odds

Hungary : Draw : Portugal :: 8.00 : 4.20 : 1.44

Hungary GoalPortugal GoalBetting Odds
016.50
027.00
118.50
129.50
0010.00
0311.00
1315.00

Prediction

Hungary 1- 3 Portugal