Fans ask ‘did Garth Crooks pick this team?’ as Portugal line up with SIX forwards & midfielder at centre-back in odd XI

5 months ago 36

ROBERTO MARTINEZ left fans scratching their heads after naming his Portugal team to face Liechtenstein.

The teams went head to head in their penultimate Euro 2024 qualifier match at the Rheinpark Stadium.

Portugal had already qualified at the top of Group J but went for goals against their rivals.

The former Wigan and Everton manager named SIX forwards in his starting line-up in a 3-4-3 formation.

This included the likes of Diogo Jota, Goncalo Ramos, Joao Felix, Bruno Fernandes, Bernardo Silva as well as Cristiano Ronaldo.

Ronaldo, Ramos and Felix took the attacking spots while Jota, Silva and Fernandes filled in at midfield.

To make things even more confusing, midfielder Ruben Neves was deployed in the heart of the back three.

Fans were left stunned by the line-up as many compared it to Garth Crook’s Team of the Weeks in which he often puts players out of position.

One commented: “Is Garth Crooks the Portugal manager?”

A second wrote: “Jota as LWB and a double pivot of Bruno and Bernardo, I’m sick.”

A third posted: “Giving me a panic attack.”

A fourth said: “What have my eyes witnessed?”

Despite the plethora of attacking talent on the pitch, Portugal only managed to score twice against the minnows.

They won 2-0 with goals coming from Ronaldo and Joao Cancelo.

Portugal have maintained their perfect record in qualifying having won nine games from nine ahead of their final match against Iceland on Sunday.