World Cup briefing: Why and how to watch Tuesday’s last-16 matches
Now we’re all hopelessly addicted to daily World Cup action, best to drink in today’s two matches in the round of 16 – the last games before a horrifying two-day break. Here’s a preview of Tuesday’s fixtures.
Morocco v Spain, 3pm, ITV
Spain will be fancied to beat Morocco, who have never been past this stage of the World Cup, but this is no foregone conclusion.
Luis Enrique’s side smashed seven past Costa Rica but that momentum evaporated with a draw against Germany and defeat to Japan, which almost cost them a place in the last 16.
Morocco, meanwhile, topped Group F ahead of Croatia and Belgium – both semi-finalists in Russia four years ago – and have quietly amassed a nine-game unbeaten streak, during which they have conceded just twice.
Portugal v Switzerland, 7pm, ITV
For all of their quality and star names Portugal have a modest World Cup history, reaching the quarter-finals just twice, in 1966 and 2006.
Despite the distraction of the Cristiano Ronaldo soap opera, however, they topped a tricky Group H with relative ease.
Switzerland are arch last-16 merchants, having exited at this stage in four of their last five appearances and last making it to the quarter-finals in 1954, but showed spirit to fight back and beat Serbia to second place in Group G, behind Brazil.