EURO 2016: Portugal to face formidable adversary – Paris, France

But Cristiano Ronaldo and his Portuguese teammates stand in their way.

“I think this referee may be among the best two or three referees in the world”, Pepe said. I will try to defend as on anyone, leaving less space for him. That’s not to say Portugal doesn’t have the ultimate game changer in captain Cristiano Ronaldo. “It is a unique opportunity in a players’ career”.

But Ronaldo is a constant threat around the area and at set-pieces. He even contributed to the goal scored by Nani in the same match.

Giving Ronaldo a sniff of goal early in the game could change the entire landscape for France.

Limiting his influence will be key, and yet Deschamps knows that is easier said than done.

Which tactical formation will France deploy?

For France, Deschamps must decide whether to keep faith with a 4-2-3-1 formation, which has allowed Griezmann to flourish, or bring in midfielder N’Golo Kante and revert to a 4-3-3.

Griezmann, 25, is the tournament’s top scorer bidding to deliver success for the home nation in his first major global final. The little Atletico Madrid striker was magical to watch.

Birkir Bjarnason unofficially better than Paul Pogba. Sissoko was solid throughout against Germany.

Portugal’s coach Fernando Santos insisted however that his side were also determined “to write a new chapter in our history” by winning a first major title.

Can Portugal shake off the weight of history?

In their only other appearance in a European Championship final, then-hosts Portugal lost to Greece at Euro 2004.

Diego Maradona believes just how desperate Cristiano Ronaldo is for a major global title could decide Portugal’s Euro 2016 final against France. I am fully-fit and can be chosen to play tomorrow. But Portugal remain a country without a title, and the bitter memories of 2004 are still felt.

“If there is an anti-Ronaldo plan, no one has yet found the recipe”, he said.

Vincent Ménard:”It’s true that the Portuguese have the players to hurt us because our defence is not the best in the tournament, the defence can be breached”.

France have scored 13 goals so far in the tournament and after topping their group, they have followed it up with convincing wins in all of their knockout games.

Deschamps said he wanted France’s rising star Antoine Griezmann to be on the World Player of the Year list but he would have to wait to get the honour.

The Euros reaches it’s climax July 10 at 3 PM in Paris, where Portugal and France will go head to head to win it all. Their head-to-head record includes victories in all three clashes at major competitions.

The Euro 2016 final will feature a duel between boyish poster boy Antoine Griezmann and preening superstar Cristiano Ronaldo to be the dominant number seven. “But it’s one thing to be favourites and another to win and I believe that Portugal will win”, he said.

“I think it was hugely popular among the people in the ground to see those young kids on the pitch”.

But Didier Deschamps’ men would be forgiven for feeling extra pressure.

France, on the other hand, can not be taken lightly having shown the exit to Germany, the world champions, in the semi-final.

But France’s players insist they are focused on the job at hand.

Teaming up alongside Bonucci we have Portugal’s ever unpredictable Pepe.