Carlos Queiroz's players will now fancy their chances after an impressive display
IMAGES from the Euro 2020 round of 16 match against Wales and Denmark played at the Johan Cruijff Arena in Amsterdam on Saturday.
Arsenal turned around its recent poor form to beat Leicester 3-1 on Sunday
Hosts France have sealed the last semi-final spot and will meet World Champions Germany in a mouth-watering clash at Marseille. In another showdown, giant-killers' Wales inspired by their hero Gareth Bale will take on Cristiano Ronaldo's Portugal at Lyon. Rediff.com takes a closer look at the four semi-finalists as the fight for European glory reaches it's business end.
Real Madrid duo Cristiano Ronaldo and Gareth Bale are in the running with Atletico Madrid striker Antoine Griezmann for the UEFA Best Player in Europe Award.
Manchester United has reportedly been linked with a move for Welsh forward Gareth Bale in recent weeks as Real Madrid has revealed that they are willing to sell the former Tottenham Hotspur star.
Wales forward Gareth Bale got their Euro 2016 campaign off to a dream start with an early goal and substitute Hal Robson-Kanu struck a late winner as they beat Slovakia 2-1 in the Group B opener on Saturday.
Wales winger Gareth Bale has enough firepower to terrorise opponents in this month's European Championship in France, midfielder Joe Allen has said.
The 24-year-old Wales international, who has agreed a six-year contract, eclipsed the previous record of 80m which was also paid by Real Madrid to Manchester United for Cristiano Ronaldo in 2009.
Gareth Bale would not pick any Atletico Madrid player over one of his teammates, the Real Madrid forward said, as the two Spanish sides prepare to square off in Saturday's Champions League final. Atletico's defence conceded just 18 goals last season in the league, fewer per game than any other team in Europe's top five leagues. But when Bale was asked to create an ideal 11 from both teams, he said he would pick Real Madrid players every time. Asked by radio station Cadena Cope if he would pick Atletico's Jan Oblak, who equalled the La Liga record for the fewest goals in a season, or Real's Keylor Navas, Bale said, "Keylor, 100 percent." Asked which side had the best midfield and defence, he added: "Real Madrid, everyone Real Madrid."
Real Madrid's attacking trio of Cristiano Ronaldo, Gareth Bale and Karim Benzema need to score twice in the Champions League final on May 28 against Atletico Madrid to hit the century mark for goals this season for the first time.
A first-half double from Gareth Bale helped Real Madrid cement their position at the top of La Liga with a 3-0 win at home to Leganes on Sunday. Reeling from a chaotic midweek 3-3 draw at Legia Warsaw in the Champions League, Real got off to a slow start against neighbours Leganes, but Bale put them in charge in the 37th minute. The Wales international, who netted a sensational half volley against Legia, raced onto a through ball from Isco that split the visiting defence and rounded goalkeeper Jon Serantes to tuck the ball inside the near post from a tight angle.
Real Madrid winger Gareth Bale said on Wednesday he has an extra incentive to reach a third Champions League final in four years because the title game will be played in his hometown of Cardiff. "This is the reason I came to Madrid - to play in the Champions League, to win the Champions League," the 27-year-old Bale said in an interview with UEFA.com. "To have the Champions League final in my home town is an even bigger motivation," he said.
Unaffected by the money, Gareth Bale's girlfriend Emma Rhys-Jones may leave Spain afterwards because she prefers a quiet life.
Real Madrid's resurgent La Liga run skidded to a halt as they fell to a shock 2-1 defeat at home by struggling Girona on Sunday in which captain Sergio Ramos was sent off in added time, leaving them nine points adrift of leaders Barcelona.
La Liga players dominate this year's Best Player in Europe shortlist, announced by the continent's governing body UEFA on Monday, with seven of the top 10 contenders for the prestigious award currently plying their trade in Spain.
The race for Golden Boot award at the 2016 Euro Championship heats up with French players occupying the top three spots ahead of the semi-final round. France forward Antoine Griezmann leads the way in the race followed by his teammates Olivier Giroud and Dimitri Payet.
England manager Roy Hodgson has hit out at critics who have questioned his team's patriotism and desire ahead of their European Championship clash against Wales in Lens on Thursday. Wales striker Gareth Bale last week said his team had "more passion and pride" than England, who "big themselves up before they've done anything". Russian goalkeeper Igor Akinfeev also labelled Hodgson's men the weakest seeded team in the Euro 2016 prior to Saturday's draw with England. "I've been in the game sufficiently long to know every opponent has got an opinion," Hodgson told reporters.
Manchester United remain winless at home in the league this season after Arsenal enjoyed their first win at Old Trafford
Gareth Bale again came to Real Madrid's rescue by heading home the winner in a 1-0 win at Real Sociedad on Saturday that keeps their title hopes alive.
West Ham's Zouma given 180 hours of community service for kicking his cat
Cristiano Ronaldo, Lionel Messi and Antoine Griezmann appear among the 55 nominees for the FIFPro 2016 World 11 released on Friday but England forward Wayne Rooney failed to make the shortlist for the first time. Portugal captain Ronaldo, led his country to victory at Euro 2016, while France forward Griezmann was the top player at the tournament. It is the first time that 25-year-old Griezmann has made the cut, but England captain Rooney is absent for the first time in the competition's 12-year history, after England crashed out of Euro 2016 to lowly Iceland.
News of all that's transpired on and off the football field
'I have a long contract still to go, I am enjoying myself and we are winning trophies. I want to continue doing this at Real Madrid'
A Real Madrid vice president has admitted unspecified problems have delayed the signing of Tottenham Hotspur's Gareth Bale although he predicted the deal would be agreed before the transfer window closes next week.
Klopp impressed with Mourinho turning Spurs into 'results machine'
Holders Real Madrid chased away some of their early-season blues when Gareth Bale scored the pick of the goals in a 5-1 rout of FC Basel in their Champions League Group B opener on Tuesday.
In playing terms, both are the leaders of their teams but they take very different approaches to their role. While Bale is widely acclaimed as an inspiration for his national team, Ronaldo's influence on Portugal is the subject of debate. Gareth Bale is constantly encouraging his team mates and is described by his manager as "the most down-to-earth boy you could meet."
Wales reached the Euro 2016 quarter-finals with a 1-0 win over Northern Ireland thanks to an own goal by Gareth McAuley in a poor encounter at the Parc des Princes on Saturday. Centre back McAuley turned a Gareth Bale cross into his own net 15 minutes from time in the all British last-16 clash.
Galatasaray have made a mediocre start to the season but striker Didier Drogba believes they can repeat April's victory over Real Madrid in Tuesday's Champions League Group B opener.
The Champions League is part of Real Madrid's folklore and it is the nature of the Spanish side to always set their sights on Europe's most prestigious club tournament, having won it more times than any other team, winger Gareth Bale has said.
Zinedine Zidane got off to a flying start as Real Madrid coach when Gareth Bale hit a hat-trick in a 5-0 win over Deportivo La Coruna on Saturday after a Lionel Messi treble had fired Barcelona to the top of La Liga.
Real Madrid coach Carlo Ancelotti praised his team for beating holders Bayern Munich in Wednesday's Champions League semi-final, first leg without their two biggest names taking a leading role.
Real are third in the league standings with 54 points after 28 games, two behind second-placed Atletico Madrid who visit Athletic Bilbao later on Saturday and nine points behind leaders Barcelona who play at Real Betis on Sunday.
Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur built hefty leads with emphatic away wins in their Europa League last 32 first-leg matches but AC Milan were held to a 2-2 draw at Red Star Belgrade as the competition resumed on Thursday.
Gareth Bale completed a dream first season at Real Madrid as he paid off another large slice of his world record price tag with the decisive goal in a 4-1 Champions League final triumph over Atletico Madrid on Saturday.
Real Madrid barged their way back into the Spanish La Liga title race with a 3-1 victory over Atletico Madrid in a feisty derby at the Wanda Metropolitano on Saturday.
Premier League champions Manchester United may be also in the race with Real Madrid to acquire Spurs striker Gareth Bale, as Tottenham is seemingly more receptive to the English champions after being frustrated by negotiations with the Spanish side.
David Beckham earns up to 228,000 for a sponsored post.
Gareth Bale hailed a "perfect night" after his stunning winner for Real Madrid against Barcelona in Wednesday's King's Cup final, his first trophy since moving to Spain for a record fee in the close season.
