After a poor performance in the final match of the group stage, Portugal received a lot of criticism. Therefore, the match against the lower-rated opponent Slovenia will be an opportunity for Ronaldo and his teammates to show their true strength. Below are the match analysis between Portugal vs Slovenia. Along with that is the guide to betting on Euro for the upcoming round of 16 match.

Portugal vs Slovenia 1st half analysis: Asian Handicap (Portugal -0.5), Over/Under (Over 1)
Portugal vs Slovenia full match analysis: Asian Handicap (Portugal -1.25), Over/Under (Over 2.5)

Portugal vs Slovenia 1st half analysis

Coach Roberto Martinez gave opportunities to many young players in the final matches of the group stage. However, contrary to his belief, the 51-year-old coach had to face a sad outcome. Without Bruno Fernandes, Bernado Silva, and Vitinha, Portugal’s midfield became quite fragile. In addition, the use of high wings also led to conceding the first goal in the 2nd minute of the match.

Still playing with familiar enthusiasm, Cristiano Ronaldo could not help Portugal make positive changes. The midfield’s poor ball control made the star playing for Al Nassr often starved for the ball and had to play quite far from the opponent’s penalty area.

Portugal vs Slovenia match analysis — Portugal vs Slovenia betting odds

Meanwhile, Slovenia excellently made it through the narrow door. Similar to Portugal at Euro 2016, Slovenia secured a spot in the round of 16 after achieving 3 draws in the group stage matches. Their strength always lies in defense, with Oblak leading his teammates well.

However, their ability to stand firm in the first 45 minutes of the match is not really high. In their last 5 matches, Slovenia has conceded 3 times quite easily in the first half. Therefore, choosing Portugal -0.5 for the first half is a popular betting choice.

Prediction for Portugal vs Slovenia: Choose Portugal -0.5 HT, Over goals

Portugal vs Slovenia full match analysis

Coach Roberto Martinez and his team must deal with their upcoming opponent Slovenia. Especially in the context of the Iberian Peninsula team unexpectedly suffering a defeat in their first encounter with the opponent. However, that match was a time when Martinez experimented a lot with a lineup of young stars.

In the upcoming round of 16 match, it is certain that Portugal’s top midfielders will return. At that time, Portugal will not allow Slovenia to think about creating surprises. Except for the return of many key players, Coach Roberto Martinez probably needs to reconsider the positions that did not perform well in the recent match against Georgia.

The most notable are the positions of Inacio and Antonio Silva. Both players showed weaknesses in their defensive situations. While Inacio’s performance is acceptable, Antonio Silva was the main reason for the 2 goals that Portugal conceded. Therefore, Martinez needs the return of the experienced players Pepe and Ruben Dias.

Prediction for the match Portugal vs Slovenia — Performance of Portugal vs Slovenia

On the opposite side, Sesko will still be the biggest concern for Portugal in the upcoming match. The young talent from RB Leipzig always brings certain values when on the field. With his youth, Sesko operates extremely aggressively, attracting the opponent’s defense and creating ample space for his teammates. An attacking option that coach Matjaz Kek can consider is long-range shots. Both goals that Slovenia has scored in this tournament have been from shots outside the penalty area. In fact, in a friendly match in March, Slovenia defeated Portugal thanks to 2 beautiful goals from Max Elsnik and Adam Gnezda. In the round of 16 match, Euro 2024, between Slovenia vs Portugal, the prediction is leaning towards the team with higher ratings. The -1.25 handicap is considered a level that the underdog team can completely conquer. In addition, the Over option is also an attractive choice with the odds set at 2.5 goals. Prediction for Portugal vs Slovenia: Choose Portugal -1.25 FT, Over total score for the whole match.