Eight months before the start of the World Cup in Qatar, with the opening scheduled for November 21, two of Europe’s three remaining spots for the tournament will be defined until next Tuesday (29), with the continent’s repechage dispute, which starts this Thursday (24).
The definition of all Europeans qualified for the World Cup will not take place in the next few days because the war started by Russia against Ukraine, a month ago, interfered not only with the schedule of matches but also led FIFA to exclude the Russian team from the dispute. .
Last Friday (18), the CAS (Court of Arbitration for Sport) rejected an appeal by the Russian Federation and maintained the punishment imposed by the maximum body of football on Russians, in the wake of a series of sanctions aimed at the country ruled by Vladimir Putin. .
Quite similar to the ruling on Uefa’s sanctions on the participation of Russian clubs in competitions organized by the European entity, the decision does not anticipate the court’s position on the merits of the case, but confirms Russia’s absence in the playoffs.
Held in a new format, the dispute initially provided for 12 teams, divided into three groups, with semifinals and finals in single games.
Russia was in Group B and would face Poland. With the exclusion of the Russians, the team that counts on the striker Robert Lewandowski – elected by FIFA the best player in the world in the last two years – advanced directly to the final. The rival will be the winner of the duel between Sweden and the Czech Republic.
Also as a result of the conflict started by Putin, the confrontation between Ukraine and Scotland, in Glasgow, was postponed and should be played until June, on a date to be defined by FIFA.
The winner of that match will be the opponent of whoever passes from the clash between Wales and Austria, forming the decision of Group A.
The most awaited final is in the last bracket. In Group C, the semifinals will be: Portugal x Turkey and Italy x North Macedonia.
If the favoritism of the last two European champions is confirmed, the Italians and the Portuguese will face off in the final of the bracket. Only one of them can get the spot in the World Cup.
Portugal has already played seven World Cups and has been present in the last five editions. At 37 years old, who is looking for his fifth participation is precisely the biggest star of the Portuguese team, Cristiano Ronaldo. Given his age, this could be his last chance on the biggest stage in football.
“We know that the path will not be easy. We have the utmost respect for the opponents we will face and who share the same goals. But together, we will fight to put Portugal in our rightful place”, wrote the Manchester United player on social media.
Italy has a wider history in World Cups, with 18 participations, but ended up out of the 2018 World Cup, held in Russia, after losing the playoffs to Sweden. Now, he’s looking for the spot to have the chance to fight for the fifth championship.
In the European Qualifiers, ten teams guaranteed direct places for the World Cup: Serbia, Spain, Switzerland, France, Belgium, Denmark, Netherlands, Croatia, England and Germany.
Portugal, Sweden, Italy, Ukraine, Wales, Scotland, Turkey, Russia, Poland and North Macedonia qualified for the playoffs as runners-up in their groups in the Qualifiers.
Austria and the Czech Republic entered the dispute with the spots destined to the two countries with the best record in the League of Nations that did not get direct spots in the World Cup or advance through the campaign in the first phase of the Qualifiers.
See where to follow the European repechage matches
(Brasilia time)
A group
Game 1 – Scotland v Ukraine – postponed
Game 2 – Wales vs Austria – Thursday (24) – 16:45
Final – Winner Match 1 vs Winner Match 2 – Postponed
group B
Game 1 – Russia excluded, Poland ranked by WO
Game 2 – Sweden v Czech Republic – Thursday (24) – 16:45 – TNT Sports Stadium
Final – Poland x Winner of Game 2 – Tuesday (29) – 15:45 – Space and TNT Sports Stadium
Group C
Game 1 – Italy v North Macedonia – Thursday (24) – 16:45 – Space and TNT Sports Stadium
Game 2 – Portugal vs Turkey – Thursday (24) – 16:45 – TNT and TNT Sports Stadium
Final – Winner Game 1 x Winner Game 2 – Tuesday (29) – 15:45 – TNT and TNT Sports Stadium
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