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Portugal Listed as Odds-On Favorite to Win Group B in Euro 2020 Qualifying; Can Serbia or Ukraine Contest?

Gary Gowers

by Gary Gowers in Soccer News

Updated Mar 26, 2020 · 10:01 AM PDT

Ronaldo
Ronaldo is back to help Portugal defend its Euro title. Photo by Ludovic Peron (flickr) [CC License].
  • Portugal is in good shape to defend their Euro title
  • Ronaldo back in the Portugal squad
  • A strong Eastern European challenge

When your team includes one of the two superstars in world football, you always have a chance. When that team also includes an array of talented and experienced players who have already sampled success on the world stage, then you’re onto a good thing.

All of which adds up to Portugal progressing through Euro 2020 qualifying without too much trouble.

Euro 2020 Qualifying Group B Winner Odds

Team Odds
Portugal -175
Serbia +300
Ukraine +375
Lithuania +25000
Luxembourg +50000

*Odds taken on 03/20/19

As the current holders of the European Championship title, it’s no surprise to see Portugal odds-on to qualify for the final stages again (-175) but, as reflected in the odds above, there are a couple of tricky looking hurdles for them to overcome in the form of Serbia (+300) and Ukraine (+375).

2024 UEFA Champions League Odds Tracker
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Portugal to Coast Through to Finals

The Portuguese should still have enough in the tank to win the group, but in the unlikely event of them missing out on a top two automatic qualifying spot, they have the fallback option of a place in the playoffs by virtue of having also qualified for the UEFA Nations League finals. We don’t expect them to need this safety net.

Key to their fortunes, as ever, will be the presence of Cristiano Ronaldo in their team. The five-time winner of the Ballon d’Or hasn’t played for his national side since last summer’s World Cup – and missed all of the Nations League qualifiers – but is back on the squad for the Euro 2020 qualifiers.

No Ronaldo But Still Quality

That the Nations League qualifiers were successfully negotiated without Ronaldo is obviously a good sign for the Portuguese – and proves they are not solely reliant on his unique talent – but it goes without saying that they are a better side with him.

What Portugal manager Fernando Santos will be hoping is that Ronaldo and his teammates can tap into the rich vein of form they found in the European Championship of 2016 in France. Against all the odds, and despite drawing their three group games, they battled through to the final against the host France, which they won 1-0 thanks to an extra-time goal from Eder.

Eastern European Challenge

More of the same and Portugal will not only qualify for the finals with ease – as we expect them to – but will also be fancied to have a real crack at defending their title when they get there.

Serbia and Ukraine shouldn’t be dismissed as both have squads capable of qualifying, and have recent experience of making it to major tournaments.

Serbia and Ukraine shouldn’t be dismissed though as both have squads capable of qualifying, and have recent experience of making it to major tournaments. In Russia 2018, the Serbs were unable to make it out of Group E, but performed well to beat Costa Rica and lost only narrowly to Switzerland and Brazil.

While Ukraine didn’t make it to Russia 2018, they did qualify for the 2016 Euros and their FIFA world ranking of 30 suggests they are more than capable of edging past Serbia for the second automatic qualifying place.

Portugal Odds-On Favorites, But Still Worth a Bet

It’s hard to see past Portugal though when it comes to picking a group winner and even at -175 we consider them well worth a bet, not least because we can’t see either of the Eastern European countries having quite enough to beat them.

Pick: Portugal (-175)

Our Euro 2020 Qualifying Coverage:

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