Czechs ready to run Ronaldo gauntlet
Tuesday, June 19, 2012
Article top media content
Article body
• The Czech Republic harbour fond memories of their EURO '96 meeting with Portugal, and hope Michal Bílek's men can seal another famous quarter-final win 16 years later.
• Paulo Bento's side are the nominal away team for their quarter-final with the Czechs but with thousands of Portuguese expected to be in Warsaw it may not feel like that.
• The Czech Republic qualified from the group stage with a negative goal difference, as they did in 1996 when they reached the final.
• Portugal were four games without a win in 2012, scoring just once in that time, before back-to-back victories against Denmark and the Netherlands.
• Cristiano Ronaldo's two goals against the Netherlands took his international goals tally to 34, ahead of Luís Figo (32) and into third place on Portugal's top scorer list. Only Pauleta (47) and Eusébio (41) lie ahead.