Euro 2008: Portugal v Germany odds and quarter-final preview

Euro 2008: Portugal v Germany odds and quarter-final preview The quarter-finals of the 2008 Euro are finally here, the opener the match Portugal v Germany on Thursday. Quickly we start with the odds on the Portugal v Germany Euro 2008 quarter-finals, as posted at the British-licensed online bookmaker Bet 365 (official website). The odds makers have listed the Portugal squad as the favourite team to win the first Euro 2008 quarter-final with odds 2.40, while Germany will be the underdog with odds 3.25, with 3.00 payout on a draw in regular time. Additional 44 betting markets are available at the British bookie, including the goalscorer - naturally Cristiano Ronaldo is the favourite to score anytime with odds 2.40, followed by Miroslav Klose at 3.00.

Now that the betting odds are out of the way, let's look at how the two teams managed to reach the quarter-final phase of the Euro 2008. Portugal were assigned in Group A and one could hardly say Ronaldo & Co. had a hard time qualifying for the next stage. Victories against Turkey (2-0) and Czech Republic (3-1) secured the top spot in Group A and losing to Switzerland in the final game (0-2) was more like a gift to the host country and an opportunity for Luiz Felipe Scolari to test the reserves. Flowing an easy group victory Portugal was listed with odds 5/1 to win Euro 2008 outright at Bet 365. But the situation with the once-favourite team to win the Euro, Germany, is quite different. Germany was 7/2 favourite to win the Euro before the start of the games, but the loss to Croatia (1-2) made bookmakers and punters rethink the coefficients. A victory against Poland (2-0) and co-host Austria (1-0) gave the Germans the second position in Group B, but left many disappointed. Overall Portugal and Germany have met 15 times, the Germans leading the stats with 7 wins and three losses. The two met last during the World Cup 2006 third-place playoff, won by the Germans 3-1.

The long odds on the Germans in the Euro 2008 quarter-final against Portugal derive not so much from the sub-par performance in the groups, but from key players injuries. Germany's Torsten Frings and Lukas Podolski both remain questionable for the match on Thursday, although Podolski (calf problem) is likely to be fit for the game. Torsten Frings, however, suffered fractured ribs and is highly unlikely to see the German football player tomorrow, despite the extra medical attention. Both players were injuried during the final Group B game against Austria. "Since Torsten is such an important player for our team, our medical staff will exhaust all possibilities to get him fit. The decision about if he plays against Portugal will only come on Thursday," Germany coach Joachim Low said. Meanwhile Portugal has a full array of player to choose from, all of the usual starters well rested for the quarter-final. The performance of the reserves during the game against the Swiss did nothing to impact the starting line-up and Nuno Gomes, Cristiano Ronaldo and Simao will be forward tomorrow. "I'm not going to change anything. In principle it will be the same team," Portugal coach Luiz Felipe Scolari said.

The Portugal v Germany Euro 2008 quarter-final game kick-off time is at 18:45 local (19:45BST) on Thursday, June 19th, from St Jakob-Park in Basel. Live betting is available online at Bet 365.

Published on 06/18/2008