Ronaldo’s Portugal host Chile in Lisbon as the World Cup looms

Portugal wind up their World Cup preparations at home on Saturday, with Chile the visitors to the Estádio Nacional in Lisbon. It is one of the last chances Roberto Martínez gets to settle on a shape before the tournament opens, and most of the attention will fall, as it usually does, on the man leading the line.

Ronaldo and one more shot at the big one

Cristiano Ronaldo turns out for what is almost certainly his final World Cup. At 41, captaining Portugal at a record sixth tournament, the questions about his role have not gone away, and Martínez has spent recent months trying to balance what Ronaldo still offers with what a deeper, younger squad can do around him. Saturday is part of that thinking. Expect Ronaldo to start and lead the attack, with the manager watching how the pieces fit rather than chasing a particular scoreline.

Whatever the debate about minutes and starts, Portugal remain one of the more dangerous sides heading into the summer, with a squad good enough to trouble anyone on their day.

A patched-up squad for now

Martínez will have to make do without several of his Paris Saint-Germain players for this one, with the likes of Vitinha and João Neves not yet linked up with the group. That reshapes the midfield in particular and hands a few others a run-out they might not otherwise have had. It is not ideal so close to a major tournament, but it does give the manager a longer look at his fringe options, which is exactly what these matches are for.

Portugal open their World Cup against DR Congo in Houston on June 17, drawn in Group K, so there is not long now to turn preparation into performance.

Chile with nothing to lose

For Chile, the context is very different. They did not make it to this World Cup, so the summer is about rebuilding and blooding players for the next cycle rather than fine-tuning for a tournament. That can make a side awkward to play against. With no pressure of expectation, a young Chile team will fancy turning up in Lisbon and giving one of the favourites an uncomfortable evening.

The gap in quality should tell over 90 minutes, and a Portugal side eager to look sharp in front of their own fans will want to make a statement. But friendlies like this have a habit of throwing up surprises, and Martínez will be wary of any complacency creeping in before the real work begins.

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