Portugal announce final friendlies
Thursday, May 8, 2003
Article summary
UEFA EURO 2004™ hosts Portugal are to play Italy and Sweden in their last warm-up matches before the finals.
Article body
Home advantage
Luiz Felipe Scolari's men will meet the Azzurri on 31 March next year in a repeat of the Brazilian coach's first game in charge and then face Sweden on 28 April. Portugal lost 1-0 to Italy in Genoa in February but will have home advantage in both fixtures, the venues of which will be announced at a later date.
Friendly action
The games will be the 14th and 15th friendly internationals of Scolari's reign, forming part of the Selecção's extensive preparations for the finals which start on 12 June 2004. Portugal beat Sweden 3-2 in a friendly last October, and have defeated Brazil and Macedonia since Scolari took over as coach in January. Most recently, they drew 1-1 with the Netherlands in Eindhoven last month.
