Another round of Nations League football on Sunday as Portugal entertain Scotland in League A, and Steve Clarke’s side will be looking to bounce back after an injury-time defeat by Poland at Hampden on Thursday evening.
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Portugal v Scotland Betting Tips
Portugal v Scotland Match Preview
With the latest edition of the UEFA Nations League getting underway on Thursday, there is no rest at the weekend and with another round of League A fixtures to be played, it gives both Portugal and Scotland another opportunity to put Germany in their rear-view mirrors.
By their own high standards, Portugal fell rather short at Euro 2024. No tournament goal for Cristiano Ronaldo to add to his incredible record breaking tally, no repeat of their continental glory in France eight years prior.
As a new international cycle begins, there are concerns over whether Ronaldo, now playing for Al-Nassr, can still guide Portugal to further success. At 39, many believe the former Real Madrid legend may not have the stamina to last until the 2026 World Cup in North America.
Ronaldo’s career has been driven by his relentless desire to silence any doubters, and this clash against Scotland offers another opportunity to show he remains crucial to Portugal. His drive to succeed will once again be a focal point as he looks to inspire his team and country to victory.
With emerging stars like Chelsea’s Joao Felix and Milan’s Rafael Leao, Roberto Martinez’s men possesses the depth to compete against Europe’s top nations. However, much of the spotlight will remain on Ronaldo’s performance and weather he can still deliver on the big stage.
As for opponents Scotland, they once again exited the European Championships at the group stage and for all the talk of potentially being tournament dark horses, they were quickly put to slaughter by the tournament hosts Germany in the very opening game.
That defeat and eventual exit was a sore one for all involved and especially for manager Steve Clarke – a man who struggles to crack a smile at the best of times and with 2026 World Cup qualification now the ultimate goal for the Tartan Army, pressure will be on Scotland’s manager.
There is no doubt that World Cup qualification remains Clarke’s ultimate goal. Yet, there is a growing sense that this might be his final campaign at the helm and any legacy potentially hinges on whether he and his players can earn a ticket to the 48-nation party.
Before a tilt at booking a trip to North America begins, it is Nations League status that Scotland will look to maintain and with them earning a berth in League A, they will now want to stay there. On their day, this Scotland team can be world beaters. On others, they can be rather brow beaten.
But now it is time for the first of my two tips and although Scotland fans may have hope, I can only see their hopes being extinguished on Sunday night. A home win and both teams to score is currently priced at 11/4.
In addition to this, I am also going to opt for the correct score and with both teams getting on the scoresheet, a narrow Portugal win by two goals to one also appeals to me – especially at odds of 9/1.
Portugal v Scotland Betting Odds
| Team | Odds |
|---|---|
| Portugal Odds | 1/5 |
| Draw Odds | 11/2 |
| Scotland Odds | 14/1 |
Odds courtesy of Betfred, correct at the time of publication
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