DONETSK, June 26: For Spain it is more about stopping one man, while for their Iberian rivals Portugal it will be about containing a whole team when the sides meet in Wednesday's semi-final.

While Cristiano Ronaldo holds the keys to Portugal's chances of taking a step closer to a first major trophy, Spain's charge towards an unprecedented third straight tournament title is anchored in selfless teamwork.

Spain simply do not need a Ronaldo, Portugal desperately do.

After a difficult start to the tournament, Ronaldo has stepped up when it matters, scoring three goals in the last two games to move Portugal to within touching distance of their first final since Euro 2004, where they lost on home soil to outsiders Greece.

This time, Portugal will be very much the outsider at the Donbass Arena in Donetsk.

“We will be taking special care of Cristiano Ronaldo,” promised Spain coach Vicente del Bosque, whose players successfully muzzled the Portugal captain in their encounter at the last World Cup, when they won a close encounter 1-0 thanks to a second-half David Villa strike.

“It won't be an individual (marking) thing. There will be permanent support (from midfield), as there was two years ago.”

Spain captain Iker Casillas can become the first player to notch up 100 victories in international football if his team beat Portugal.

Casillas believes his club team-mate Ronaldo has still not quite reproduced the form that helped Real Madrid win La Liga last season.

“His season at Madrid was incredible in terms of the way he played, the goals and the records,” the 31-year-old, known in Spain as “Saint Iker” thanks to his miraculous saves, was quoted as saying in Monday’s Marca sports daily.

“I don't think that right now he is at his best level,” he added.

The match should provide an intriguing clash of styles, with Spain likely to dominate possession while Portugal await opportunities to spring forward on the counter-attack.

Spain have lost only three times in 47 competitive matches and are closing in on an unprecedented treble of major honours.

“We have to be ourselves and not change the way we play just because we're going to face the reigning World and European champion,” Portugal defender Joao Pereira said. “We're going to play our own game.”

That is more than France did in last Saturday's quarter-final, when they tried to stifle Spain at the expense of their own ambition, and meekly lost 2-0.

Portugal, however, beat Spain 4-0 in a friendly match in November, 2010 — Spain's heaviest defeat since winning the World Cup.

For the first time at the tournament, Portugal coach Paulo Bento will be obliged to change his starting line-up due to the thigh injury sustained by striker Helder Postiga in Thursday's 1-0 win over the Czech Republic.

Besiktas' Hugo Almeida is set to deputise, although 20-year-old Benfica striker Nelson Oliveira is also in contention.

Spain reported no new injuries after their victory over France, but Del Bosque must decide whether to persevere with Cesc Fabregas in the 'false nine' role or restore Fernando Torres to his starting XI.

Spain have the winning know-how, but Portugal does have one small advantage — two days longer to prepare. The winners of Wednesday's game will meet Germany or Italy in Sunday's final in Kiev.—Agencies