Portugal vs Italy – UEFA Women’s Euro 2025 Group B Preview: Kick-off Time, Lineups, Where to Watch, and What’s at Stake
Date: Monday, 7 July 2025
Kick-off Time: 21:00 CET
Venue: Stade de Genève, Geneva, Switzerland
Competition: UEFA Women’s Euro 2025 – Group B, Matchday 2
Match Overview
Portugal and Italy meet in Group B of UEFA Women’s Euro 2025, with both teams facing vastly different situations after the opening round of matches. Italy made a solid start with a 1–0 victory over Belgium, while Portugal suffered a heavy 5–0 defeat to tournament favourites Spain.
A win for Italy could secure their place in the knockout stage, depending on the outcome of Spain vs Belgium. For Portugal, only three points will keep their quarter-final hopes alive.
See also
Portugal Hoping for Redemption
Portugal endured a tough start to the tournament, conceding five goals to Spain in a game where they struggled to contain the reigning champions’ attacking prowess. Coach Francisco Neto now faces the challenge of lifting his squad both physically and mentally for this crucial encounter.
Without injured star Kika Nazareth, Portugal must rely on veterans like Jéssica Silva and Diana Silva to offer attacking threat. The defense, led by Carole Costa, must also respond after a difficult evening in their opener.
Key Player: Jéssica Silva – With her pace and technical ability, Silva will be crucial if Portugal are to break down Italy’s backline.
Italy Look to Seal Qualification
Italy come into this match with momentum after a composed 1–0 win over Belgium. Arianna Caruso’s goal and a disciplined team performance under new coach Andrea Soncin have raised expectations.
The Azzurre will be confident of another victory, especially with midfielders like Giugliano and Boattin providing control and creativity. A win could send them into the quarter-finals, depending on other results in Group B.
Key Player: Cristiana Girelli – Italy’s all-time top scorer remains a danger in the box and a leader on the pitch.
Team News and Predicted Lineups
Portugal (4–3–3 expected):
Pereira; Seiça, Costa, F. Pinto, Amado; Borges, Norton, Jacinto; J. Silva, D. Silva, Capeta
- Kika Nazareth remains sidelined due to injury.
- Neto may consider rotating after the heavy loss to Spain.
Italy (4–3–3 expected):
Giuliani; Lenzini, Linari, Salvai, Boattin; Giugliano, Caruso, Severini; Bonansea, Girelli, Cantore
- No major injury concerns for Italy.
- Coach Soncin likely to retain a similar starting XI to the one that beat Belgium.
Head-to-Head Record
- This will be the first meeting between Portugal and Italy at a major tournament.
- In friendlies and qualifiers, Italy have historically dominated the fixture.
Tactical Outlook
Expect Italy to dominate possession and try to break down Portugal with structured build-up play and midfield rotations. Portugal, on the other hand, will likely sit deeper and look to strike on the counter, relying on pace in wide areas.
Set-pieces could also play a vital role, particularly if the match remains tight into the second half.
Prediction
Italy have looked more organized and confident coming into this game. If they maintain the same level of control and concentration, they should have enough quality to edge past Portugal.
Predicted Score: Portugal 1–2 Italy
Where to Watch
- Portugal: RTP, SportTV
- Italy: RAI, RaiPlay
- Europe-wide: UEFA.tv (where available)
