Pepe doubts for Portugal ahead of Wales clash at Euro 2016
Tuesday 5 July 2016 22:02, UK
Portugal coach Fernando Santos is keeping everyone guessing over Pepe's fitness ahead of the Euro 2016 semi-final against Wales on Wednesday.
Real Madrid star Pepe is struggling with a thigh problem and did not join in with the rest of the Portugal squad as they went through their final paces on the eve of their clash in Lyon.
The 33-year-old, who missed Sunday's training session, may have been omitted from Tuesday's full workout as a pre-cautionary measure, but coach Santos was giving nothing away when he faced the media.
"As for Pepe, you'll probably be tossing and turning in your beds tonight because I'm not going to answer," he said with a smile at the pre-match press conference in Lyon.
"I'll be sleeping quietly because I have other players who can play. This situation is not new for us, it happened in our first match with (Ricardo) Quaresma.
"Sometimes players recover and are fully fit to play and other times they're not and others are called up.
"If Pepe is 100 per cent, I will think about it and he can start the game. If not, no problem. All the players must be 100 per cent fit for such an important game."
Should Pepe fail to recover, 38-year-old former Chelsea defender Ricardo Carvalho looks set to line-up in central defence alongside Southampton captain Jose Fonte.
William Carvalho will miss Wednesday's match through suspension, but fellow midfielder Andre Gomes and left-back Raphael Guerreiro are back in contention after missing the quarter-final against Poland with knocks.
