Looking forward to tonight . . . from left: Mauricio Cdarvalho, Ze Carvalho, Helder Felix, Daniel Corticeiro and Manwel RodriguesTHE winners of tonight's Euro 2004 quarter final between hosts Portugal and England will go ono to win the tournament.

That's the prediction of Mauricio De Carvalho, the chairman of the Portuguese Association of Swindon.

"The two squads are play-ing the best football," he said. "Whoever wins will win Euro 2004.

"If it is England then they will be the champions and if Portugal wins then we will win the whole tournament."

He thinks that his country's chances will be hampered by the absence of striker Pauletta because he has been booked in two previous matches.

"It's going to be difficult for us.

"I think it's going to be a 50-50 chance of us winning. England is playing well but the last game Portugal played we did well too.

"We'll have Nono Gomes instead of Pauletta.

"I hope he will do his best.

"People are behind their national team in Portugal but I think there will be more English people in the stadium because they always want their squad to reach the final."

But customers in two Swindon pubs will be among the few not watching the match.

Both the Casbah and The Victoria will not be showing the game.

Ian Davidson, manager of Casbah in John Street, said they had decided not to show any of the Euro 2004 matches.

"We thought we would try something a little bit different," he said.

"Almost every town centre bar will be showing the football tonight.

"We wanted to offer an alternative.

"The feedback has been very good so far. One drinker said 'Thank God a pub with no football'.

"On the night of the France match we had around 800 people walk through our door and we soon had a great atmosphere.

"And again against Switzerland we had more than 1,000.

"We are expecting the same number tonight for the Portugal game."

Lucy Bridewell, assistant manager of The Victoria in Old Town, said three local bands will be playing.

She said: "Although a lot of people are really into their football some are not myself included.

"If I see another Cross of St George flying out of a car window I will scream."

What it all means

PORTUGUESE: JOGO COM DUAS PARTES

English: It's a game of two halves.

VOU DESMAIAR! (Literal translation is I'm almost unconscious)

I'm sick as a parrot.

ESTOU NAS NUVENS

I'm over the moon.

J NO CANTAIS MAIS

You're not singing anymore.

CRESCE E APARECE

Come and have a go if you think you are hard enough.

INGLATERRA, INGLATERRA, INGLATERRA!

England, England, England!

Did you know?

Portuguese have Britain's equivalent of the north-south divide. Southerners call the northerners COIVINHAS, which literally translates as cabbage eaters.

Brazil is a popular holiday destination because there is no language barrier. As a former colony, its official language remains Portuguese.

Portugal was occupied by Spain between 1480 AD and 1640AD

Women take a keen interest in football in Portugal. Matches are a good time to meet eligible young men apparently.

The region of Alentejo, near Algarve is the butt of many Portuguese jokes just as the Irish our in this country.

Bhavani Vadde