Should You Back Cristiano Ronaldo to Fire Against the French?
Odds are courtesy of 22bet and true at the moment of writing.
Although Portugal edged past Slovenia thanks to some heroics from their goalkeeper Diogo Costa in the penalty shootout, there was a cause for concern when it came to Ronaldo’s finishing.
Yet to score for his country at the Euros, Ronaldo will have it all to do against the current holders when Portugal meet France on Friday evening.
Difficult-looking tie to call
France have yet to find their rhythm at the Euros, but despite their below-par performances, they’ve only conceded two goals across four matches. The centre-back pairing of Bayern’s Dayot Upamecano and William Saliba have formed a formidable partnership, while N’Golo Kante continues to roll back the years in his central midfield position.
At this stage of the competition, we can see more pragmatic approaches from nations who want to make sure they don’t concede any “sloppy” goals, and this fixture appears to be no different.
With under 2.5 goals landing in all of France’s games to date, Portugal may struggle to break them down - as they did against both Georgia and Slovenia, two obviously weaker nations.
Ronaldo’s Stats Paint a Grim Picture
Cristiano Ronaldo has had 20 shots at the Euros - the highest of any individual player, including his missed penalty in extra-time against Slovenia. He isn’t one to shy away from the big occasion, but he’s yet to succeed on the European stage this summer.
However, his lack of goals doesn’t mean he has stopped trying. France have been strong at the back, but Ronaldo’s fitness continues to be incredible for his age, and he’s certainly not lost his appetite.
With one of the best leaps in the competition, Ronaldo is a constant threat from corners. Even though Portugal have plenty of free kick specialists, Ronaldo won’t be giving the ball away to anyone.
If a free kick is 35 yards away from goal (or closer), you can fully expect Ronaldo to shoot. Whether his shots will end up in the back of the net is another thing, having only scored one from his last 60 for Portugal.
This is why it is best to back him to have shots. Priced at 11/10, Ronaldo to have over 3.5 shots across 90 minutes appears to be the best bet, considering how much he demands the ball. It could well be a frustrating evening for him, but he’ll be trying from all angles where possible.