Portugal have rallied around captain Cristiano Ronaldo ahead of tonight’s Euro 2012 quarter-final against the Czech Republic in Warsaw.

It will be the third meeting between the two sides in the last five championships, with each side having won one apiece – the most important belonging to the Czechs in the 1996 quarter-finals on their way to losing to Germany in the final.

Paulo Bento’s Portugal have got where they are thanks to their team ethic and after seeing Ronaldo finally click into gear in Sunday’s game against the hapless Dutch to score both goals in the 2-1 win.

They have been accused of creating a cult of personality around their 27-year-old captain but the team have circled the wagons in the face of what they see as unjustified criticism.

“The important thing is that Ronaldo is one of the most professional players I have ever come across,” said midfielder Raul Meireles.

“He is our leader and, on the pitch, there is no one who wants to win more than him.”

The Czech’s outstanding goalkeeper, Petr Cech, acknowledges the Portuguese are favourites for this match and says the team is made up of more than just Ronaldo.

“They are among the world’s top 10 teams. It’s a team full of personalities and outstanding players and they play very well,” said the Chelsea no.1.

Although they are not among the overall favourites, Cech’s club-mate Meireles believes Portugal can emulate Chelsea and shock Europe.

“Chelsea won the Champions League when nobody considered them as favourites,” he said.

“When we began this tournament, nobody mentioned Portugal. If we manage to do the same (as Chelsea) it will be the realisation of a dream.”

Portugal received a boost in their preparations as centre-back Pepe resumed training after sitting it out on Monday with sore ankles.

The news is not so good for the Czechs, though, with Tomas Rosicky set to miss out as he struggles to recover from an inflamed Achilles tendon even though he resumed training yesterday.

Rosicky had been receiving treatment in Prague since Sunday but was back in Warsaw yesterday.

But the Czechs are no strangers to difficulties, not least in this competition which they began by being mauled 4-1 by Russia.

Portugal, finalists in 2004 when Ronaldo was the baby of the team, have also shown spirit, having started like the Czechs with a defeat – 1-0 to Germany.

But the cautious Bento, who like his counterpart Michal Bilek has had his fair share of criticism, dismissed the notion his side are favourites to reach the last four.

“We don’t claim to be favourites (against the Czechs) and it won’t be easy.

“We have to keep up our work and the quality that we have shown so far. Then, maybe we can even reach the semi-finals.”

Head-to-head record

11 Jun. 2008: Czech Rep. vs Portugal - 1-3 (EC)
23 Jun. 1996: Portugal vs Czech Rep. - 0-1 (EC)
15 Nov. 1989: Portugal vs Czechoslovakia - 0-0 (WC)
06 Oct. 1989: Czechoslovakia vs Portugal - 2-1 (WC)
25 Sep. 1985: Czechoslovakia vs Portugal - 1-0 (WC)
14 Oct. 1984: Portugal vs Czechoslovakia - 2-1 (WC)
12 Nov. 1975: Portugal vs Czechoslovakia - 1-1 (EC)
30 Apr. 1975: Czechoslovakia vs Portugal - 5-0 (EC)
31 Oct. 1965: Portugal vs Czechoslovakia - 0-0 (WC)
25 Apr. 1965: Czechoslovakia vs Portugal - 0-1 (WC)
12 Jan. 1930: Portugal vs Czechoslovakia - 1-0 (F)

Day-to-day fixtures

Quarter-finals

Semi-finals and final

Euro 2012 scorers

3 goals: Dzagoev (Russia), Gomez (Germany), Mandzukic (Croatia).
2 goals: Bendtner (Denmark), Fabregas (Spain), Ibrahimovic (Sweden),
Jiracek (Czech Rep.), Krohn-Dehli (Denmark), Pilar (Czech Rep.), Ronaldo (Portugal) Shevchenko (Ukraine), Torres (Spain).