How are Portugal preparing for the tournament?

Portugal will play two friendlies before the tournament, one against Macedonia on May 26 and another against Turkey on June 2. Before travelling to their tournament base, the side will spend two to three weeks in Portugal to recharge, and doing some light training and team bonding, in a popular region for Portuguese holidaymakers called Alentejo. Paulo Bento's side will play all three of their Group B games in Lviv, but they've announced that they'll base themselves at a state-of-the-art 'Sport & Spa Hotel' in Opalenica, Poland. The hotel is laying on special facilities for the Portuguese including a training hill, run-up tracks and a wall for shooting practice.

What is Portugal's realistic target for the tournament?

Cristiano Ronaldo, as you'd expect, has come out and said that Portugal's aim is to win the tournament. Portuguese fans obviously love to hear their best player talking up their chances, and they certainly believe their side has the ability to go all the way. However, Bento's side finished behind Denmark in their qualification group and were often unconvincing. The mood here is of cautious optimism, but the general feeling among Portuguese supporters - who are still scarred by losing the Euro 2004 final to Greece in their own backyard - is that their side lack the consistency and resilience to go all the way.

What is Portugal's toughest game in the group?

Every tournament has a Group of Death and Portugal have landed slap-bang in the middle of one. Every side in Group B is currently lying in the top 10 of the FIFA World Ranking, so it looks set to be really tight. The toughest game will probably be against Germany, who boast a formidable record at big tournaments and look a real force to be reckoned with. It will also be Portugal's first group game, so it may well set the tone for their tournament.

Are there any injury or fitness concerns?

The big loss going into the tournament is attacking midfielder Danny, who ruptured his cruciate ligaments back in November last year. The Zenit star's creativity and goal threat will be missed by his countrymen, who often rely heavily on Nani and Ronaldo for attacking inspiration. Currently, coach Bento has no other injury and fitness concerns, although he will be praying his captain Ronaldo doesn't suffer from burnout after a successful but demanding season with Real Madrid.

Are there any surprise picks who could go to the Euros?

Many are currently lobbying for the inclusion of midfielder Hugo Viana in the 23-man squad. The playmaker has had a brilliant couple of seasons with Braga and is a firm fans' favourite. Bento appears to have reservations, however, and is not expected to pick him as he feels the player isn't mobile or athletic enough. Benfica's 20-year-old striker Nelson Oliveira is expected to make the squad, but it would be a welcome surprise to many were he to start the tournament ahead of veterans Helder Postiga or Hugo Almeida. Oliveira has shown glimpses of promise and many hope he will become the prolific striker that Portugal have so obviously lacked in recent years.

What is the biggest issue for the coach to resolve?

As mentioned, Portugal have been missing a prolific hitman and this dearth of an out-and-out goalscorer persists. Bento seems to favour a 4-3-3 with Nani and Ronaldo as auxiliary forwards, but this can lead to the central striker - normally Postiga or Almeida - becoming isolated and the team over-reliant on the individual brilliance of their best players. Bento firmly believes in a strong team ethic and could therefore revert to a more workmanlike 4-4-2. Consistency is also a big issue that Bento needs to address - his side can be on-fire one minute, lukewarm the next - as an off day in the group stages could see them on an early flight home.