Georgia Under-21s face a baptism of fire in their inaugural Under-21 Euro 2023 showdown on Wednesday, as Portugal Under-21s visit the Boris Paichadze Stadium in Tbilisi in Group A.
The hosts are making their debut at the biennial continental tournament, while Rui Jorge's side are aiming to make it fourth time lucky following three previous runners-up medals.
Match preview
As tournament co-hosts alongside Romania, Georgia managed to avoid the gruelling qualification process for the 2023 Under-21 Euros, and a first appearance on the big stage now awaits a nation who continue to make waves across the footballing landscape.
The Crusaders have previously tried and failed 14 times to make the finals of this competition - albeit while picking up a team-high five wins during qualifying for the 2021 tournament but missing out on a spot in the Euros behind France and Switzerland.
While the senior team also vie for their maiden qualification for a major tournament at Euro 2024, Georgia's young guns - led by Ramaz Svanadze since 2021 - seek to give a good account of themselves in a group of death also holding Belgium and the Netherlands, so expectations will surely be realistic for the Crusaders faithful.
Svanadze's side warmed up for their Euros inauguration in ideal fashion with a 2-0 friendly win over Cyprus Under-21s on Thursday thanks to strikes from Georgiy Tsitaishvili and Saba Khvadagiani either side of the half-time whistle, and they have only drawn a blank in one of their last 13 games in all tournaments, but Portugal will be intent on spoiling the party this week.
Following another barnstorming qualification process in which they dropped just two points in 10 games, Portugal's young crop are out to break new ground in Romania and Georgia after coming so close yet so far in tournaments gone by.
Current incumbent Rui Jorge has been at the helm for nearly 13 years now, and in that time he has guided Portugal to silver medals in 2015 and the most recent edition in 2021, where his side became unstuck against Germany in the final.
The Hopes also laid down a marker by reaching the final during their first appearance in 1994 - a tough act for Georgia to follow - but a first-ever Under-21 Euros crown still eludes Portugal, whose tally of 28 points in qualifying could not be bettered by any other nation.
An astonishing 41 goals - 20 of which came in two matches against Liechtenstein - also made Portugal the most prolific nation in the qualification process, and they continued to find the back of the net for fun in five subsequent friendlies, most recently easing past Norway 3-0 on March 28.
Georgia and Portugal will be renewing hostilities for just the second time after their maiden meeting in a September friendly - during which the Hopes eased to a 4-1 triumph - and a similar result on Wednesday sure would represent a harsh welcome to life in the big time for the co-hosts.
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Team News
At the risk of player burnout, Georgia head coach has called up several representatives with senior international experience, including highly-rated Valencia goalkeeper Giorgi Mamardashvili and Bordeaux winger Zuriko Davitashvili.
Luka Gagnidze, Irakli Azarovi and Giorgi Gocholeishvili have also turned out for the first team during Euro 2024 qualifying and will need a once-over before the opening matchday, while Serie A MVP Khvicha Kvaratskhelia would have been eligible to take part, but the 22-year-old is not in the squad this time around.
Meanwhile, Portugal have already been dealt one of the cruellest blows they could have been dealt ahead of the tournament, as Arsenal playmaker Fabio Vieira - who was named the best player of the 2021 Under-21 Euros - has withdrawn due to an unspecified medical condition.
Benfica protege Diego Moreira has been called up in his place, but Vieira's fellow Gunner Nuno Tavares ought to bomb down the left wing for the hosts, who are blessed with adequate attacking talent in Fabio Silva, Pedro Neto and Marseille's Vitinha.
However, fellow forward Francisco Conceicao missed Ajax's final three Eredivisie matches with a knock and may need assessing, while Goncalo Ramos is making his mark with the senior team alongside Benfica's in-demand defender Antonio Silva.
Georgia Under-21s possible starting lineup:
Kutaladze; Khvadagiani, Sazonov, Gelashvili, Kalandadze; Lominadze, Mekvabishvili; Guliashvili, Moistsrapishvili, Tsitaishvili; Gagua
Portugal Under-21s possible starting lineup:
Biai; Carlos, Penetra, Amaro, Tavares; Almeida, S. Costa, Bernardo; Conceicao, Araujo, Silva
We say: Georgia Under-21s 1-3 Portugal Under-21s
Portugal may be forced to navigate the Euros without their star man Vieira, but the Hopes have plenty of other prolific performers willing to make the net bulge against Georgia, who felt the full force of their visitors' potent frontline only nine months ago.
With the home crowd behind them and senior legs - albeit tired ones - also in the ranks, Georgia can make one of their forays forward count, but the attacking power of Portugal should overwhelm Svanadze's team.
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