While everybody obsessed about the buffoonery of the English and Germans, Portugal progressed rather nicely out of Group A. However, Humberto Coelho's side suddenly have to cope with the favourites tag when they take on Turkey in Amsterdam this afternoon.

Back in their homeland, the defeat of Belgium which took Turkey through to the last eight has been widely regarded as the greatest result in the history of the national team.

They've certainly come a long way in a short space of time. Four years ago in England they lost all three of their group matches at Euro '96 and it's only 13 years ago since they lost a European qualifier 8-0 to the English.

Now they're in the quarter-finals and the only English-born player left at these championships is Leicester City's Muzzy Izzet, who only signed up for Mustapha Denizli's squad when he realised there was no chance of a call-up from Kevin Keegan.

Izzet's return to full fitness ahead of today's game is a bonus for his national coach, but it is more than a little overshadowed by the ankle injury picked up by Hakan Sukur in training on Thursday.

Nobody in the Turkish camp will say too much about the striker's chances of playing. Sukur's two goals in Brussels brought his international record to 28 in 55 games, and Denizli admits "to lose Hakan at this moment would be a horrible blow".

In the circumstances, the recently-signed Inter Milan man will probably be in the team even if he has to play with the aid of crutches. Out of the reckoning, though, are Umit Davala (injured) and Rangers midfielder Tugay Kerimoglu, who was sent home for throwing a tantrum when substituted on Monday. The 29-year-old is expected to be replaced by Tayfur Havutcu.

Portugal, meanwhile, will revert for the most part to the players that figured against England and Romania, with many of those who helped the side to a 3-0 win over Germany having to settle for a place on the bench.

A possible exception is Sergio Conceicao, whose hat-trick (although largely the consequence of German ineptitude) may have played him into the starting line-up. If it has, then he will retain his spot on the right-hand side, with Luis Figo getting a roaming role.

Coelho's only real difficulty is over Porto right full back Secretario (shoulder), who is unlikely to be fit enough to play. Everton's wolfman lookalike Abel Xavier may well start in his place.