The Portugal diaspora has been out in force and fans enjoyed a real treat yesterday as coach Luiz Felipe Scolari led his team through an eleven-a-side practice in Tuesday’s training session in Neuchatel. The packed stands of Stade de la Malinière cheered as Simão jinked past Miguel on one wing, Ricardo Quaresma took on Paulo Ferreira on the other side and poor Ricardo in goal started to risk back ache as he was beaten by devilish long-range free-kicks from the on-form Simão and the inevitable Cristiano Ronaldo.

Set-piece practice
Later in the second half, Scolari stopped the game to run through a series of set-pieces, and another free-kick shoot-out between Quaresma, Nani and Miguel Veloso gave us an idea of what might pass as alternative to penalty shoot-outs. By far the coach’s most interesting input however was the second-half move of Ronaldo to centre-forward, in place of Nuno Gomes. Ronaldo was flanked on either wing by Nani and Simão.

Ronaldo role
It may well be a tactic that Scolari will use later in the competition. What do you think? Would Portugal be better served using their main goal threat in the middle? How much could the team make out of Ronaldo’s aerial ability, feeding on crosses from the likes of Nani, Simão or Quaresma? Or would you leave him in his more habitual wide position, harrying opposition full-backs?