The third and last game on Friday will see a blockbuster of a clash as reigning European champions Portugal and 2010 winners Spain will lock horns against each other.
The buildup to the tournament has been far from being ideal for either of the teams. Julen Lopetegui was sacked just two days before Spain’s opening fixture after accepting the Real Madrid job. He was replaced by sporting director Fernando Hierro.
On the other hand, Portugal have also suffered some off the field distractions just days before their opener. Earlier this week, William Carvalho, Gelson Martins and Bruno Fernandes had followed in the footsteps of goalkeeper Rui Patricio and winger Daniel Podence to terminate their contract with Sporting.
Well, both the teams will be looking to move on and start their campaign with a win. A win in this game can pretty much decide the standings in a group in which the other two teams are Morocco and Iran.
Sportzwiki brings you all you need to know ahead of the clash between the two sides.
Venue and time:
The Iberian rivals will play at Fisht Stadium with the game starting at 11:30 PM IST.
Players to look out for:
For the star-studded Spain, it is all about moving an and give a performance that made them the most feared side in the world not very long ago. Goalkeeper David de Gea will have his task cut out under the woods while Diego Costs will be looking to impress in front of the goal. Andre Iniesta, playing his last World Cup, will also be looking to make a big impression.
For Portugal, all eyes will be on Cristiano Ronaldo. The Real Madrid star showed he is in fine form as he returned to the Portuguese side to inspire his team to a simple victory over Algeria in their final warm-up match. With this World Cup potentially being his last, Ronaldo will be desperate to go all the way.
Where to watch:
The Indians fans will enjoy an extensive coverage of the game. The English coverage will be shown on SONY TEN 2 SD and HD channels. The Hindi feed will be aired on SONY TEN 3 SD and HD channels. Bengali and Malayali feed will be available on SONY ESPN SD channel.
Squads:
| Position | Portugal players |
| Goalkeepers | Rui Patricio, Beto, Lopes |
| Defenders | Alves, Pepe, Guerreiro, Fonte, Dias, Pereira, Rui, Cedric |
| Midfielders | M. Fernandes, Moutinho, Mario, B. Silva, Carvalho, B. Fernandes, Adrien Silva |
| Forwards | Ronaldo, Andre Silva, Guedes, Martins, Quaresma. |
| Position | Spain players |
| Goalkeepers | De Gea, Arrizabalaga, Reina |
| Defenders | Carvajal, Pique, Nacho, Ramos, Azpilicueta, Monreal, Odriozola, Alba |
| Midfielders | Busquets, Iniesta, Saul, Koke, Thiago, Asensio, Isco |
| Forwards | Rodrigo, Vazquez, Aspas, Costa, Silva |
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