Hungary vs Portugal: TV channel, live stream, team news & prediction

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Hopes are high in the Portugal camp as they get set to kick off their defence of the European Championship in Budapest.

But it will be a wildly different Portugal team to the one who went all the way in 2016. The emergence of a *cliche warning* golden generation leaves Fernando Santos with the right kind of selection headache heading into the big kick-off, and it’s one he’ll have to get right – especially with France and Germany waiting around the corner.

Hungary are no mugs either, though. After going 20 years without a major finals‘ appearance, they’ve now qualified for the last two Euros and are out to make it to the knockout phase – even though they have landed in the worst group imaginable.

Here is everything you need to know ahead of the game.

When is kick off? Tuesday 15 June, 17:00 (GMT)
Where is the match being played? Puskas Arena, Budapest
What TV channel is it on? ITV (UK), fuboTV (US)
Who is the referee? Cüneyt Çakır
Who’s on VAR duty? Massimiliano Irrati

Hungary will be without the immensely talented Dominik Szoboszlai for this one as the attacker continues his return from a long-term injury. Zsolt Kalmar is also out, which substantially weakens Marco Rossi’s midfield options.

It’s a clean slate other than that, though, and Willi Orban and Attila Szalai will continue in a defence that has helped Hungary go 11 games without defeat going into this one.

How on earth do you fit Cristiano Ronaldo, Bruno Fernandes, Bernardo Silva, Diogo Jota and Joao Felix into the one team?

You don’t, and that’s the conundrum facing Fernando Santos ahead of Tuesday’s kick-off. Of that formidable front five, it seems likely to be Felix who will miss out, with Fernandes slotting into a midfield three that will also feature two of Ruben Neves, Danilo Pereira and William Carvalho.

Portugal’s team looks as strong as it has for a long time, but hidden amongst the gems is left back Nuno Mendes, who promises to be one of the best in his position for years to come. He may not start here with Raphael Guerreiro ahead of him in the pecking order, but if he does feature, prepare to witness greatness in the making.

Hungary: Gulacsi; Fiola, Orban, Szalai; Lovrencsics, Kleinheisler, Nagy, Schafer, Holender; Sallai, Szalai.

Portugal: Patricio; Cancelo, Dias, Pepe, Guerreiro; Danilo, Carvalho, Fernandes; Bernardo, Ronaldo, Jota.

Hungary are a strong side who only seem to be getting better with time, but it’s hard to see them doing much at the Euros considering they have been lumped in with three of the strongest teams in the tournament.

With France and Germany lying in wait, Portugal simply have to win this one, and the do-or-die nature of it should inspire them to victory – though it shouldn’t be the procession many people are expecting.

Prediction: Portugal 2-0 Hungary

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