Preview: Bosnia-Herzegovina vs. Portugal - prediction, team news, lineups

Already-qualified Portugal will be bidding to make it eight straight wins in Group J when they continue their Euro 2024 qualification campaign against Bosnia-Herzegovina on Monday night.

Portugal's position in the finals was secured courtesy of a 3-2 success over Slovakia on Friday, while Bosnia-Herzegovina still have a chance of finishing second, currently sitting fourth in the section, four points behind second-placed Slovakia on the same number of matches.

Match preview

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Bosnia-Herzegovina have won three and lost four of their seven matches in Group J to collect nine points, which has left them in fourth position, still with a chance of claiming second spot in the group.

The Dragons are four points behind second-placed Slovakia, meaning that they will be unable to finish in the top two if they lose to Portugal and Slovakia overcome Luxembourg.

Savo Milosevic's side have been victorious in two of their last three in the section, including a 2-0 success over Liechtenstein on Friday, with Amar Rahmanovic and Miroslav Stevanovic on the scoresheet.

Bosnia-Herzegovina still have another possible route to qualification, as they have already secured a position in the playoffs due to their UEFA Nations League ranking, so their journey in terms of advancing to Euro 2024 will not be finished even if results go against them on Monday.

The Dragons have never qualified for the finals of a European Championship, but they were present at the 2014 World Cup, being eliminated in the group stage of the competition.

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Portugal, meanwhile, sealed qualification for Euro 2024 courtesy of their 3-2 success over Slovakia on Friday evening, with a certain Cristiano Ronaldo netting a brace in the entertaining contest.

Roberto Martinez's side have a perfect record in Group J, winning all seven of their games, scoring 27 times and conceding two, and they are eight points ahead of second-placed Slovakia, while Luxembourg in third are 10 points behind with just three games left.

Portugal are unbeaten since their quarter-final loss to Morocco at the 2022 World Cup, with Martinez enjoying his time at the helm thus far, and they will be among the favourites to taste success at next summer's European Championship considering their quality and experience in the competition.

The Iberian nation famously won Euro 2016, while they were runners-up in 2004 and semi-finalists in 1984, 2000 and 2012, so the national side know what it takes to navigate this tournament.

Portugal's last two games in the section will come against Liechtenstein and Iceland next month, and the fact that their qualification has already been secured means that Martinez can experiment in terms of his players.

Team News

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Bosnia-Herzegovina have not reported any injury concerns from their clash with Liechtenstein on Friday evening, so it would not be a surprise to see the same XI take to the field for this match.

Head coach Milosevic will need to carefully monitor the fitness of his players in the coming days, but their two goals against Liechtenstein came in the first half, and it was not the most testing of second periods.

Edin Dzeko will once again feature in the final third of the field, while the experienced Miralem Pjanic should be joined in the middle of midfield by Gojko Cimirot.

Bosnia-Herzegovina are missing some important players through injury, with Adnan Kovacevic, Rade Krunic, Benjamin Tahirovic and Kenan Kodro unavailable for selection.

As for Portugal, head coach Martinez is expected to ring the changes from the side that took to the field for the first whistle against Slovakia on Friday night.

There could be two introductions at the back, with Goncalo Inacio and Nelson Semedo potentially coming in, while Ruben Neves and Vitinha are likely to be brought into the midfield.

Joao Felix and Diogo Jota are also in line for starts in the final third of the field, with Ronaldo expected to drop down to the bench alongside Bernardo Silva, Joao Palhinha and Rafael Leao.

Highly-rated Benfica midfielder Joao Neves will also hope to be involved at some stage of the contest, with the 19-year-old bidding to make his international debut.

Bosnia-Herzegovina possible starting lineup:
Sehic; Dedic, Barisic, Hadzikadunic, Kolasinac; Pjanic, Cimirot; Stevanovic, Rahmanovic, Demirovic; Dzeko

Portugal possible starting lineup:
Costa; Semedo, Inacio, Dias, Dalot; Vitinha, R. Neves, Fernandes; Felix, Ramos, Jota

We say: Bosnia-Herzegovina 1-2 Portugal

Portugal are unlikely to be at full-strength for this match, but Martinez has such a talented squad, and the players that come in will be desperate to impress the manager. Bosnia-Herzegovina are capable of picking up a positive result here, but we are backing the visitors to shade Monday's contest.

For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.

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