Previous Uruguay Vs. Portugal 2018 Russia World Cup Round of 16 – 2018 Russia World Cup

With the promise of a high-voltage duel between two powerful and no-favors attacks, Uruguay and Portugal will face Saturday in Sochi (1 pm, Colombia time) for a ticket for the quarter-finals of the World Cup in Russia.

1. Open end

The potential of both attacks is unbeatable. On the side of the Portuguese, Cristiano Ronaldo, hungry, goes for everything in Russia. On the other side, Luis Suarez is looking in this World Cup to bury once and for all a Brazil-2014 for oblivion.

Guided by Fernando Santos, the champions of the Eurocopa-2016 will add a new page of glory before the start of the fall of the career of the Real Madrid striker. " Uruguay is a team that did not concede a goal in 2018 (…) I think Portugal will win, but I recognize that a very strong team is coming "said Santos Friday.

the precedent, Oscar Tabárez also counted on the power of La Celeste. "We came to this World Cup as we wanted," launched the "Maestro"

2. Ronaldo-Suarez, two beasts of the goal

The protagonists warn that the tree can not cover the forest and that the game is much more than a face to face between CR7 – which adds four goals – and the & # 39; Pistolero & # 39; Suárez, author of two annotations in Russia

"The team is the one who must play, if Cristiano plays alone, Portugal will lose ", warned the coach luso In the trenches charrúas also relativized the idea of ​​reducing the game to a couple of players. Luis Suárez warned: "we must be aware that I do not play only me, or me against Pepe (…) In Uruguay, we depend a lot on our collective way, because at the individual level we can take a minimum advantage."

Suarez and company they have to stop a Portugal that started at full speed with a 3-3 electrifying against Spain, continue with a triumph for the minimum against Morocco and finish with a 1-1 draw against l & # 39; Iran.

3. A perfect defense

Beyond Suarez and Edinson Cavani, South Americans have other reasons to smile. The leaders of Group A finished with three wins, against Egypt, Saudi Arabia and Russia, and their goal at zero. And captain Diego Godín is one of the highlights of the only rearguard who still does not receive goals in the World Cup.

The Atletico Madrid player moves the ropes in defense that saved with good note the absence of José María Giménez against Russia. Godin's teammate in 'Atleti' would return to the title against Portugal, after having recovered from a malaise in the right leg. But if a setback in his evolution relegates him to the bank, Coates showed against Russia that he is in good shape and ready to accompany Martín Cáceres and Godín.

But Cristiano and his teammates, including several champions from Europe two years ago, will be a tough guy. "Cristiano Ronaldo is in the elite, he has great potential (…) and it will not only be a player, it will not be only Godin, there are things we want to do from the point of view collective to limit it ". Tabárez in the pre-duel.

4. Time strategists

The party promises a duel of slates between Santos and Tabárez, who in his fourth world cup with Uruguay, the third in a row, seeks to set the bar for a process of more than 12 years. With attacks and defenses in play, the key can be in the midfield.

Uruguay has tried several formulas in the field of the most vulnerable terrain and although in the last game of Group A the 'Master' more satisfied in an area where the most regular was Rodrigo Bentancur, improvements are still possible