Exactly a week after Brussels was hit with terrorist attacks, the nation will lock horns with Portugal in a friendly which was moved to Leiria after initially being canceled upon request from the Belgian capital.
Both sides booked their spot in the upcoming Euro 2016 tournament being held in France, as Cristiano and Co. look to bounce back from their surprise home defeat to Bulgaria on Friday.
Marc Wilmots’ boys, on the other hand, will be keen on maintaining an impressive string of performances which has launched them to the top of the FIFA standings.
Who’ll win in Tuesday’s epic friendly?
Team news – A depleted Belgium squad to face Portugal
A depleted squad is the only label befitting of the current status of the Red Devils’ camp, as several key players have been ruled out of Tuesday’s friendly through injury.
Atletico Madrid’s Yannick Ferreira Carrasco is the latest Belgian ace to be ruled out of the Leiria encounter, joining English Premier League superstars Christian Benteke, Kevin De Bruyne Eden Hazard, Vincent Kompany, Divock Origi and Jan Vertonghen on the sidelines.
Furthermore, Napoli’s Dries Mertens and Tottenham’s Mousa Dembele could also miss out on the midweek clash, with Toby Alderweireld ruled out due to illness, as coach Marc Wilmots admits “adjustment” will be required when selecting a starting eleven.
"There are injured players and some players who are maybe only 50 per cent fit, so it requires some adjustment. But I will start with the best possible arrangement.”
Over to the Portugal camp, and Fernando Santos will be without the injured Tiago Mendes, Joao Moutinho and Fabio Coentrao. Danny of Zenit St. Petersburg, Ricardo Quaresma of Besiktas and Jose Fonte of Southampton are all vying for a starting eleven berth.
All eyes will be on captain Cristiano Ronaldo, who missed a penalty in Selecção das Quinas’ shock 1-0 defeat at home to Bulgaria; however, with El Clasico due on April 2, the 31-year-old could be handed a breather in the build-up to the Barca clash.
Head to head
Belgium are FIFA number one ranked national side at the moment, and they head to the Estádio Dr. Magalhães Pessoa with 6 wins out of their last 7 games; nonetheless, the away side will have to beat the odds in order to clinch victory.
The Red Devils have not beaten Portugal since September 1989, with the then 3-0 win the start of a nearly 27-year winless run.
In addition, despite having lost only twice in their last 5 run-ins, Belgium have never won in Portugal.
Which channel is broadcasting Portugal vs Belgium on TV or Online?
This must-see riendly match will be played on March 29 at the Estádio Dr. Magalhães Pessoa in Leiria, Portugal. If you cannot make it in the stadium, here is where and when to follow the game live from your current location:
- In USA at 14:45 EST on: WATCH ESPN, ESPN3 USA, ESPN Deportes TV
- In Belgium at 20:45 CEST on: Één, La Une, RTBF LiveCenter
- In Portugal at 19:45 WET on RTP 1
For additional geo-localized broadcast info for any other country across the world, visit our special Portugal vs Belgium broadcast page.
*NOTE: Live broadcast data is subject to change
Key facts
- Belgium have won 18 of their last 23 games (D3, L2).
- Portugal have only one win in their last 4 home fixtures.
- The Red Devils have never won in Portugal (D3, L1).
Match details, result and original broadcast info
This match has ended. Below are the original Live broadcast details for this match.
Live TV coverage and streaming in United States
Live TV coverage and streaming in United States
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