World Cup a possible dream: Portugal coach
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Portugal captain Cristiano Ronaldo training with his teammates yesterday in Turin, where his club Juventus are based. Portugal's home World Cup qualifying match against Azerbaijan today will take place in the Italian city due to Covid-related reasons.
PHOTO: EPA-EFE
LISBON • Fernando Santos has backed his European Championship and Nations League holders to become world champions as they bid to open their 2022 qualifying campaign against Azerbaijan today in their first of three "finals".
The Portugal coach knows his men have the pedigree to triumph in Qatar but acknowledged they first have to get there.
"It is not a dream," he said of the possibility of his team becoming World Cup winners for the first time. "Dreaming is important, but the key is believing that dreaming is possible. What we are saying is that Portugal has the quality, capacity and organisation to fight for any competition in the finals."
He will be without Borussia Dortmund midfielder Raphael Guerreiro and veteran Porto defender Pepe because of injury. But Portugal remain heavy favourites against an Azerbaijan side who failed to score in their last five matches, even if their "home" fixture will be played in Turin today in a match relocated to Italy for coronavirus-related reasons.
A Covid-19 affected schedule will see Portugal next face Serbia away on Saturday before taking on Luxembourg on Tuesday.
"Usually March is the window for private games," added Santos at his press conference yesterday. "Not only is this not the case in this window, but we have three qualifying games for the World Cup... Every one is a final."
The matches will provide Portugal skipper Cristiano Ronaldo with opportunities to close in on Iran's Ali Daei as the most prolific international men's scorer.
The Juventus striker, on 102 international goals, needs eight more goals to hold the record.
Belgium's record scorer Romelu Lukaku has tested negative for the coronavirus after an outbreak at his club Inter Milan and has travelled to Leuven for the start of their World Cup qualifying campaign.
His involvement in matches against Wales, the Czech Republic and Belarus was uncertain after four players at Inter tested positive last week, forcing the postponement of the weekend's Serie A match against Sassuolo.
But Lukaku was negative in tests late last week and again on Monday, after which he was allowed to leave Milan by the city's health authority, officials said.
His inclusion comes as a boost to the top-ranked Belgian squad, who must do without injured skipper Eden Hazard and key midfielder Axel Witsel.
REUTERS