Raphael Durand
Dailysports's expert
The opening match of the U-17 European Championship will take place on Monday evening at the Kombëtare Arena, where tournament hosts Albania will face off against Portugal. I’m offering a bet on the outcome of this clash, with strong odds for success.
Match preview
Albania U-17 automatically qualified for the 2025 European Championship as the host nation, with the tournament taking place from May 19 to June 1. Under the guidance of Italian coach Andrea Tedesco, the team had a solid preparation phase, including a convincing 4-1 victory over Azerbaijan—midfielder Evangelos Gjoka netting a hat-trick—and a win in a friendly against Poland (3-2).
Among the key players is Arman Durmisi, a striker for Juventus’ youth team who previously represented Slovenia’s youth squads but chose to play for Albania in 2024. Central midfielder Diyar Ferati, a product of Swedish football now playing for Portuguese side Rio Ave’s youth team, is also worth noting.
Portugal arrive in Albania after a successful qualification campaign, notching wins over Hungary (2-0), the Netherlands (3-1), and Serbia (3-1). The team is unbeaten in its last six matches, recording five victories and a single draw against Denmark during this stretch.
The squad features standout performers such as forward Anísio Cabral and midfielder Gil Neves, both of whom made significant contributions during the qualifiers. Portugal are two-time U-17 European champions, lifting the trophy in 2003 and 2016. In 2024, they reached the final but fell to Italy with a 0-3 defeat.
Probable lineups
- Albania U-17: Juli R. (GK), Kurti D., Halidi F., Llana A., Ndreka E., Ramku A., Nuhaj F. (C), Vukai A., Myrtaj L., Gjoka E., Durmisi A.
- Portugal U-17: Cunha R. (GK), Banyaki D., Chelmik, Furtado M., Neto J., Neves G., Quintas R. (C), Lima B., Cunha D., Cabral A., Mide M.
Match facts and head-to-head
- The teams previously met in 2023 and 2019—both times Portugal came out on top: 3-0 and 4-0.
- In two out of Portugal’s last five matches, the “Both teams to score” bet has come through.
- The “Both teams to score” market has hit in three out of the last five games.
Prediction
The hosts have limited chances, even with home advantage. Portugal are among the tournament favorites, and even scoring a goal against the Lusitanians would be an achievement for the Albanian side.
