Custodio aiming for Spanish upset

Custodio insists Portugal will fight for their place in the Euro 2012 final ahead of their semi-final clash against holders Spain.

The last time the two Iberian rivals met in a competitive game was in the 2010 World Cup, where Vicente del Bosque’s side ran out 1-0 winners over Portugal.

Many have put Portugal down as the underdogs for Wednesday’s game, but midfielder Custodio feels there are no favourites between the two sides.

“Spain favourites? I cannot quantify who is favourite,” the Braga man said.

“I do not know if we have a 20, 30 or 50 percent chance of going through. What I know is that we will fight hard to get a place in the final.

“Will this be Portugal’s year? I hope so, we will fight to make it so.

“Spain are a great side who won the last two international competitions. They have always been playing to win, but so have we.

“If Spain are favourites, we hope to beat the favourites and reach the final.”

Portugal were the first team to advance to the semi-finals – following their 1-0 win against Czech Republic on Thursday – and the 29-year old is hoping the extra two days’ rest over Spain will be an advantage.

“I do not know if having two more days to rest than Spain will be important. I hope it will and that the one to win will be the team who had more days to rest,” he said.

Portugal’s captain and danger man Cristiano Ronaldo scored the only goal of the game in the quarter-finals against the Czechs and Custodio is hoping the forward can pull the strings once again to see off Spain.

“Cristiano Ronaldo is one of the most complete players I know, not only because of his physical and technical qualities, but also mental,” he said.

“He will be very motivated for this match, like he has been so far, no more, no less. He wears Portugal’s shirt with great pride.

“We have no secret weapons, it is the same weapons that we have used in previous matches. We will try to do the same thing, when we do not have the ball, we will fight to have it.”