Portugal will head into the upcoming game with Norway full of confidence and momentum, while the visitors will be seeking revenge.
Over the last few days, the saga surrounding Cristiano Ronaldo has continued to dominate the conversation as pressure builds on Jorge Jesus regarding the troubled superstar. On the pitch, however, the manager has little to worry about, as his Portugal side are in a confident run of form.
Portugal return home with momentum, confidence and a perfect record in the group, and they will expect to handle this fixture on their own terms. Jorge Jesus’s side have already beaten Wales, Norway, and Denmark in a strong start to the campaign, and another win would leave them in a commanding position at the top of Group 4.
At home, the Seleccao remain a difficult side to beat, and their record against Norway only adds to that sense of control. They have lost only one of their last 12 meetings with the visitors and won the reverse fixture 2-1 at the end of September, so the task now is to stay focused and not let the Ronaldo storyline become a distraction.
Stale Solbakken’s men arrive in Portugal needing a response after back-to-back defeats have slowed their start to the campaign. They opened with an encouraging 3-2 win over Denmark, but losses to Portugal and Wales have left them third in the group and under pressure to show more control in the key moments.
There is still enough quality in this Norway side to make the contest competitive, particularly with Erling Haaland leading the attack and Martin Odegaard offering creativity behind him. Their recent World Cup run showed what they can do when the balance is right, but they now need to prove that they can bring that standard into the Nations League as well.
This is also a useful test of resilience after a difficult last outing, because Norway must avoid letting the reverse result against Portugal affect them again. A strong performance in Lisbon would not only restore some belief, but also give them something to build on ahead of their November matches against Wales and Denmark.
The biggest change is obvious. Cristiano Ronaldo is no longer in the squad after leaving camp following Jorge Jesus’s press conference before the Denmark match. That means Goncalo Ramos, who has scored in back-to-back Portugal games, should again lead the line, while Bruno Fernandes is expected to keep his place after an excellent display against Denmark.
There may also be some rotation in midfield and attack, with Joao Neves and Joao Felix among those pushing for inclusion. Francisco Conceicao remains a doubt because of a thigh issue, so Jesus may lean on players who are fully fit and already settled into the rhythm of the team.
Portugal’s likely shape should still have a familiar look, with Diogo Costa in goal and a back four built around Joao Cancelo, Ruben Dias, Renato Veiga, and Nuno Mendes. Vitinha and Joao Neves could form the midfield base, with Rafael Leao, Bruno Fernandes, and Joao Felix supporting Goncalo Ramos in the final third.
Probable Lineup (4-2-3-1): Diogo Costa; Cancelo, Dias, Veiga, Mendes; Joao Neves, Vitinha; Felix, Bruno Fernandes, Leao; Ramos
Norway will be without Torbjorn Heggem after his red card against Wales, so there is likely to be a change in the middle of defence. Marcus Holmgren Pedersen appears the most likely replacement, while the rest of the back line may stay largely intact.
Further forward, Erling Haaland will again be the main reference point even though he struggled to influence the game in the defeat to Wales. Martin Odegaard should continue in a creative role, while Thelo Aasgaard and Antonio Nusa are among those who could be introduced to freshen the attacking structure.
The likely lineup Norway might put out could see Orjan Nyland in goal, with Julian Ryerson, Kristoffer Ajer, Marcus Holmgren Pedersen, and David Moller Wolfe in defence. Odegaard, Sander Berge, and Aasgaard could form the midfield, while Oscar Bobb, Haaland, and Nusa provide the threat in attack.
Probable Lineup (4-3-3): Nyland; Pedersen, Ajer, Ostigard, Wolfe; Odegaard, Berge, Berg; Bobb, Haaland, Nusa
The noise around Cristiano Ronaldo is still lingering, and the veteran superstar continues to grab the headlines. However, Rafael Leao, who has taken on the iconic No. 7 shirt from Ronaldo, will take precedence when it comes to matters on the pitch.
Leao will know that the shirt carries real weight whenever he plays for Portugal, especially now that he appears to have directly succeeded Ronaldo in that role. He will need to produce a performance that matches the occasion, with all eyes on the winger when Portugal take on Norway.
Norway are under some pressure following their results in the UEFA Nations League campaign, as back-to-back losses to Portugal and Wales have increased the strain on the team. They have another difficult test waiting in Portugal, and Stale Solbakken’s side will need to be at their best.
Portugal will feel confident ahead of this home clash, and they can lean on their recent results against the visitors. Jorge Jesus’s side are the clear favourites to take three points here, and they are in the sort of form that makes it hard to see Norway getting much from the trip apart from a consolation goal.
