If the Portugal squad thought the rousing welcome they received on their arrival in Neuchatel could not be topped, they were forced to revise their opinions in their second training session in Switzerland.

Carnival atmosphere
An estimated 10,000 Portuguese supporters greeted the squad on Sunday night but more than 12,000 fans were present on Tuesday at Neuchâtel Xamax FC’s Stade de la Malinière as coach Luiz Felipe Scolari put his men through their paces. There was a carnival atmosphere inside and around the stadium as Portuguese supporters from Switzerland, Germany and France gathered to catch a glimpse of their heroes.

Rousing reception
As Scolari’s squad took to the field, they each generously returned the applause they received from the packed stands. Unsurprisingly, the biggest cheer was reserved for Cristiano Ronaldo, selected as one of the squad’s five ‘captains’ by the coach in recognition of his growing influence. The public were treated to a full eleven-a-side practice match, with third-choice goalkeeper Rui Patrício the only player not to start, the watchful Scolari as referee, albeit one who stopped the game intermittently for tactical adjustments. It was serious too. When Ronaldo charged down Ricardo’s clearance and drove the ball into the empty net, the Manchester United FC winger met the goalkeeper’s protests for handball with a stern wag of his finger.

Trademark free-kick
Soon after the crowd saw what they were waiting for, with Ronaldo hovering in his trademark preparatory stance before striking a fierce free-kick past Ricardo. Even the arrival of some unseasonal rain failed to dampen spirits as Scolari shuffled his two sides in the second half, moving Ronaldo into a central position flanked by Nani and Simão on the wings. The coach may be continuing to formulate his first-choice lineup ahead of the Group A opener against Turkey but one thing he can be sure of is continuing support in their home from home. The local Portuguese community’s passion will not let up, as one supporter explained: “The feeling you have for Portugal is even stronger when you’re far away.”

Thousands of Portuguese fans flooded the lakeside city of Neuchatel on Sunday to welcome their national team for this month’s European Championship.

Officials said some 5,000 fans waved flags and chanted loudly as the bus carrying Cristiano Ronaldo and teammates arrived at the team’s hotel Sunday night.

About 10,000 people were in the city to greet the Portuguese players as the squad begins the final stage of its preparations.

“It’s a great chance we have to see them near us,” said 24-year-old Ana Bela Ramos, a Portuguese fan from Fribourg, near Neuchatel. “We came here to give them our support and hopefully that will motivate them even more.”

Portugal will be based in Neuchatel at least until the semifinals. The team opens Saturday against Turkey in Geneva seeking to reach its second consecutive final.

Upon arriving, players and coaches waved from one of the hotel’s balconies, delighting the fans who waited on the streets for several hours.

Several hundred fans followed the team’s bus from Geneva to Neuchatel on motorcycles and paraded through the city’s main avenue afterward.

“This was awesome,” said 19-year-old fan Liliana Carvalho. “It was great to see the players waving from the bus to us. I’m disappointed I didn’t see Cristiano, but that’s OK, I saw the other players.”

Dozens of Portuguese flags were hanging from hotel and apartment balconies across the city of 40,000 people, and several hundred fans in Portuguese jerseys were near the team’s hotel by the Lake of Neuchatel, occasionally chanting “Portugal, Portugal.”

Fans honked horns and yelled as they drove by, and even dogs could be seen dressed in Portugal’s national colors — red, green and yellow.

“This is fun,” said 7-year-old Denis Meira as he tried to peek through the fences outside the team’s hotel. “Hopefully I’ll get to see them.”

It will not be too easy for Meira and other fans trying to get a glimpse of their idols, though. Security was increased throughout the city and the squad is expected to be mostly isolated from fans. City official Stephanie Wildhaber said officers from several nearby cities were summoned to help while the Portugal national team is in the city.

Some of the team’s practice sessions during the week will be open for fans, however.

“I got tickets and I’ll get to watch them,” said 43-year-old Oliveira de Paiva Antonio, a Portuguese who lives in Neuchatel. “It’s incredible, the city is completely different with so many people here. It’s very agitated, we have to enjoy it.”

Portugal’s first sessions at the city’s local stadium are scheduled to begin Monday.

The team arrives boosted by a 2-0 win over Georgia in Viseu on Saturday in its final warm-up game before the competition begins.