Jorge Jesus has recalled Mateus Fernandes to Portugal's senior squad for the first time since April, as one of seven newcomers picked for their club form. In Cardiff the Tottenham midfielder could meet Spurs teammate Ben Davies just before league football returns.
Mateus Fernandes has earned his way back into Portugal’s senior squad. Jorge Jesus included the Tottenham midfielder for the final two rounds of the UEFA Nations League group phase. It is his first senior call-up since April.
Fernandes is one of seven newcomers in the group. Jesus said the seven were showing club form good enough for a first-team call-up, A Bola reported. The coach noted that five of them had been in the Under-21 squad.
Not all of the seven are new to senior football. Fernandes has been capped before, as have António Silva and Carlos Forbs. The remaining four are hoping to make their international debuts.
At Stamford Bridge, Fernandes led every player on the pitch with 102 passes and 124 touches. He also topped the game with two chances created, five crosses and five tackles.
Fernandes arrived at Spurs as a big summer signing. His drop to the Under-21s in September suggested he had work to do to win back a senior place. This call-up is consistent with his club form now being noticed again at international level.
The Estádio Municipal de Braga stages the Denmark match, with a 7.45pm UK kick-off that Saturday. Tottenham’s fixture guide places Fernandes and Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg on opposite sides that night.
For the closing game in Cardiff, kick-off is again set for 7.45pm UK time. Craig Bellamy named Ben Davies in his 26-player Wales squad for the games against Norway and Portugal. Davies first plays away to Norway at 5pm on the Saturday. The Cardiff fixture is sold out.
The two sides arrive in very different positions. Group A4 is led by Portugal. Wales started the window three points behind Denmark and level with Norway. Unless they finish in the top two, they face a relegation play-off or demotion from League A. When the sides met in Lisbon in the group’s opening match, Portugal won 1-0.
The club lists both Davies and Fernandes for that meeting. That gives Spurs supporters a direct interest in a game between two other nations. Whether either player starts is not yet known.
The minutes Fernandes collects during this window will matter back in north London. Two games in three days come straight before the return of league football. Spurs will want their midfielder sharp rather than stretched.
Four days after the trip to Wales, Spurs welcome Ipswich Town for a 3pm Premier League kick-off on Saturday 21 November.
Jorge Jesus: «Aproveitando as palavras do Cris, a renovação e o futuro» (A Bola)
Convocatória para jogos com Dinamarca e País de Gales (Federação Portuguesa de Futebol)
November international fixtures for our players (Tottenham Hotspur)
Portugal name first squad since Cristiano Ronaldo's international retirement (Yahoo Sports)