http://sports.yahoo.com/sow/news?slug=reu-worldportugal_preview Luis Figo's return to the Portugal side after a short-lived retirement should boost his team for their upcoming World Cup qualifiers against Slovakia and Estonia in the next few days. "I'm here to help Portugal win. I feel a little like I did the first time I was called up for my first cap," Figo said this week. Figo, who will be 33 in November, is Portugal's most-capped international with 110 appearances since making his debut in 1991. He announced his retirement from the national team after last year's Euro 2004 tournament and has not played for Portugal since the final against Greece in Lisbon which Portugal lost 1-0. Portuguese coach Luiz Felipe Scolari welcome back Figo saying: "He is a great player with leadership capacities and has much to offer the national team in many ways. What is going on in the club where he is playing does not concern me." Spanish papers are reporting that Real Madrid have given the player "the green light" to leave the club after five seasons there. Portugal go into the matches sharing top spot in Group Three with Slovakia with 14 points after six matches. After playing Slovakia in Lisbon on Saturday they meet Estonia in Tallinn four days later. Scolari added: "These are two games that will decide everything. If we win we will be 90 percent sure of qualifying, if we lose we will say goodbye. It's the most important moment for the national side this year. "Slovakia is a powerful team, dangerous on the break and in away matches but we have been warned and we know we can solve everything in these two games," Scolari added. Five Missing Five players have withdrawn from Portugal's original 26-man squad because of injury or physical problems. The main absentees are Chelsea defender Ricardo Carvalho who was replaced by Fernando Meira, and Miguel Monteiro who was substituted by uncapped Alex Costa. Costinha will miss the first match because of a suspension. Slovakia though, have their eyes also firmly fixed on a place in the finals for the first time since they became independent in 1993. Their coach Dusan Galis believes the match in Lisbon is important, but will not decide who qualifies for the finals. "The match will be very important, but not decisive. We have had a good start in the qualifiers, and we have a chance to qualify," Galis said. "We want to show that we can be an equal partner to our opponent, but we will have to cope with the atmosphere at the stadium as well." "Portugal will want to win. Figo, the symbol of Portuguese soccer, has returned to the team, and this will even more hype up atmosphere at the stadium." "They will not underestimate us, but it will not be an easy match for them either. High expectations of your fans may not necessarily be an advantage." Galis said he was constantly reminding his team of last year's European championship when Greece beat Portugal in both the opening match and the final. He belives that will give them the belief they need to have a chance of winning the game. Probable teams: Portugal: Ricardo Pereira; Alex, Jorge Andrade, Fernando Meira, Marco Caneira, Armando Petit, Maniche, Deco, Luis Figo, Cristiano Ronaldo, Pauleta. Slovakia: Kamil Contofalsky; Stanislav Varga, Martin Petras, Radoslav Zabavnik, Marian Had, Michal Hanek, Peter Hlinka, Miroslav Karhan, Marek Mintal , Szilard Nemeth, Lubomir Reiter Referee: Pierluigi Collina (Italy) --

※ 發信站: 批踢踢實業坊(ptt.cc) ◆ From: 61.228.137.228 ※ 編輯: larcism 來自: 61.228.123.216 (06/04 09:55)