Euro 2024 continues with three Sunday clashes
Euro 2024 is in full swing now, with three exciting Sunday clashes on show.
Poland faces the Netherlands to open up Group D. Poland will miss Robert Lewandowski through a thigh injury, while Charlotte FC Karol Swiderski is expected to take. Napoli attacking midfielder Piotr Zielinski and Arsenal center-back Jakub Kiwior will lead Poland looking for their first Euros victory since 2016. The Dutch, plagued by injuries, are looking to start their European conquest with its solid offense. Cody Gakpo, Virgil van Dijk, and an experienced defensive group will look for the full three points.
Derek Rae will join Robert Green to commentate the game on FS1 at 9 AM EST.
Slovenia faces Denmark at noon EST. Darren Fletcher and Warren Barton will commentate the game on FS1. Denmark is coming off a forgettable group-stage exit at World Cup 2022, with Christian Eriksen making his first Euros appearance since collapsing against Finland in Euro 2020. Slovenia searches for its first Euros victory ever, led by Newcastle talisman Benjamin Sesko.
Serbia faces England at 3 PM EST to cap off the exciting slate of Euro 2024 matches. This is arguably one of England’s strongest teams to date as they look to end their 58-year drought without a major title. Stars like Jude Bellingham, Harry Kane, and Bukayo Saka will look to lead the Three Lions to a strong start in Germany. Sergej Milinkovic-Savic, Dusan Vlahovic, and Dusan Tadic are the main players for a sleeper Serbia side. Ian Darke and Landon Donovan will commentate on the match at 3 PM EST.
Three Things to Watch
The Dutch midfield needs to hold up despite injuries.
Injuries — not poor management, feuds between players, or a lack of quality — have hurt this Dutch squad. We saw it last March, where stars Cody Gakpo, Mathijs de Ligt, and more missed play due to a virus caused by curry — which played a big part in their embarrassing 4-0 loss to France. They will feel hard done again after missing Frenkie de Jong and Teun Koopmeiners through injury.
However, the good thing about the Netherlands is their depth in key areas. It’s horrible to lose one of the best midfielders in Europe through an injury (in a friendly, no less). But, midfielders Joey Veerman and Jerdy Schouten could ease the pain. They just led PSV to the Eredivisie title, both versatile, collected, and technically adept. Look for them to play a key role against a Robert Lewandowski-less Poland team at 9 AM EST.
Slovenia can shock the world with its compact defense
Granted, this will sound a lot like Scotland…and Hungary…and Albania. But, Slovenia poses the best chance of getting Euro 2024’s first genuine upset. They’re also on an unbeaten run of six games, including wins over the United States and Portugal.
They’ve done it through their compact 4-4-2, with their compact backline aiming to frustrate strikers. They don’t counter-attack but rather play fast and energizing. Slovenia’s Benjamin Sesko, linked with moves to Arsenal and United, is the jewel of the potent offense, and he’s been their main source of life throughout qualification. Look towards veteran keeper Jan Oblak and center-back Jaka Bijol to frustrate a promising Danish offense filled with gems. Rasmus Højlund, Christian Eriksen, and Jonas Wind will be tough to stop, but Slovenia could be the unlikely underdogs who take a point (or more) from this matchup.
This Serbian attack will be a handful for England’s star-studded defense
Enough with all of the England punditry, the endless hot takes, the constant rambling about which celebrities and wives will travel to Gelsenkirchen for the big game. This Serbian team may be one of the best in its history. The striker partnership of Dusan Vlahovic and Aleksandar Mitrovic, along with the all-seeing eye of creator Dusan Tadic should be a lot to handle for England.
Serbia is a mighty underdog in this game and can expect to play on the back foot for several minutes at a time. Their direct style of play and their quality cannot fly under the radar at all. Sergej Milinkovic-Savic, one of the most underrated midfielders of all time, will play a huge part as Serbia searches for revenge after its early World Cup exit.
In the News
Spain stars Rodri and Alvaro Morata dispelled injury concerns after both were subbed off in Spain’s 3-0 win over Croatia. Morata also told reporters that his injury that left him limping off the field after a tough Marin Pongracic tackle was just a knock. De la Fuente said Rodri, who also seemed hurt, was simply fatigued and asked for the sub to avoid further injury. Both should start in their pivotal clash against Italy.
The 16 goals scored through four matches are the most at this stage of the tournament since Euro 1976. Germany beat Scotland 5-1, while Switzerland swept aside Hungary 3-1. Spain beat Croatia 3-0, and Italy beat Albania 2-1, meaning all four games have at least three goals.
The Danish Euro 2024 squad recently refused a pay rise and accepted a reduction in insurance coverage to ensure equal pay between the men’s and women’s teams. Denmark reached a four-year agreement with Denmark’s player union to ensure equal pay between the men’s and women’s national teams. The men chose not to demand any changes to the agreement. It means that more funding could go to the women’s teams.
German police reportedly shot a man who attacked soccer fans watching Euro 2024 at a private house. The man, an Afghan citizen, stabbed another Afghan man with a knife at a rural town 80 miles west of Berlin. He went on to attack three other men watching the Germany vs. Scotland game. Police shot the attacker, who later died of his wounds in a hospital. His motives were unclear. German police will increase their presence around the state.
PHOTOS: IMAGO