2022 World Cup: Matheus Nunes out of the 23 elected in Portugal to duel with Serbia
Footballer Matheus Nunes will miss the Portuguese national team’s game against Serbia on Sunday, the last of Group A qualifying for the 2022 World Cup, according to the list of qualified athletes released by UEFA.
The Sporting midfielder is the only one of the Portuguese players available to be left out of the 23 chosen by the coach Fernando Santos, after having started in the visit to the Republic of Ireland (0-0), on Thursday.
Out of the options is also in central Pepe, but, in this case, because it is serving a suspension match, given the expulsion in Dublin.
On his return is Bernardo Silva, who has recovered from the physical problems that kept him from the duel with the Irish and is part of the 23 athletes who will be part of the game sheet.
Portugal and Serbia will play from 19:45, at Estádio da Luz, in Lisbon, in the last and decisive meeting of Group A, which will be directed by the Italian referee Daniele Orsato.
After the draw in the Republic of Ireland, Portugal took the lead in the group, with 17 points, equal to the Serbs, but with an advantage in goal difference (16-4 against 16-8), so that’s enough for the ‘quinas team’ ‘score in front of the last opponent to’ stamp ‘immediately qualifying for the next World Cup in Qatar.
On the other hand, in the event of a defeat against Serbia, the national team will be in second place in the group and will have to dispute the play-offs for access to the final phase.
The Portuguese and Serbs are the groups in Group A that still have the possibility of securing a place in the next World Cup – either by direct qualification or via the play-offs -, taking into account that Luxembourg (nine points), Republic of Ireland (six points) ) and Azerbaijan (one) are already mathematically out of the running for the finals.