Portugal defender Joao Pereira has warned his teammates not to show too much respect to Spain.

The two sides meet in the first semi-final in Donetsk on Wednesday with Spain looking to win their third tournament in a row.

Pereira said that Portugal must stop Spain playing their passing game if they are to book their place in Sunday's final in Kiev.

"Each side has a 50 per cent chance of qualifying for the final," Pereira. "We must have a healthy respect for Spain, but we are not going to respect them too much, because we too have great players, of great value to us.

"It will be important not to commit errors, because they will pounce on those. The best thing would be to succeed in pressing them and us retaining possession.

"Obviously that could prove to be a bit difficult because Spain love playing the passing game, and if they play with six midfielders like they have done, it will be tough to score."

Spain knocked Portugal out at the last-16 stage of the 2010 World Cup.