Post by Panda on May 25, 2021 18:39:16 GMT 1
Just two and a half weeks until this gets underway (a year late). The 16th edition of the European Championship will be played across 11 European cities (originally 13 until Brussels lost its hosting rights, then 12 until Dublin had to pull out). This will be the second edition of the tournament to feature 24 teams and again sees three home nations taking part after England, Scotland (first major tournament since 1998) and 2016 semi-finalists Wales all qualified.
The tournament looks very open, with the top end of the betting market quite tight. World champions France are slight favourites, just ahead of England's talented young team (for whom this is effectively a home tournament with them potentially playing all but one game at Wembley). Belgium have been there or thereabouts for a while - will this finally be their first tournament triumph? Defending champions Portugal, and former champions Spain can't be ruled out, Italy are a team back on the rise while Germany look like a team in decline but could they give departing manager Joachim Low a winning send-off? Wales will be hoping to match what they did in France five years ago and the draw could open up nicely for them if results go their way. Scotland will be hoping to make it past the group stage of a tournament for the first time and have a group stage clash against the Auld Enemy to look forward to as well.
GROUP A (current world ranking in brackets)
Italy (7)
Switzerland (13)
Wales (17)
Turkey (29)
GROUP B
Belgium (1)
Denmark (10)
Russia (38)
Finland (54)
GROUP C
Netherlands (16)
Austria (23)
Ukraine (24)
North Macedonia (62)
GROUP D
England (4)
Croatia (14)
Czech Republic (40)
Scotland (44)
GROUP E
Spain (6)
Sweden (18)
Poland (21)
Slovakia (36)
GROUP F
France (2)
Portugal (5)
Germany (12)
Hungary (37)
Odds: (best price available)
5/1 France
11/2 England
6/1 Belgium
9/1 Germany
9/1 Portugal
9/1 Spain
11/1 Italy
14/1 Netherlands
33/1 Denmark
50/1 Croatia
66/1 Turkey
80/1 Poland
80/1 Switzerland
100/1 Sweden
125/1 Ukraine
150/1 Austria
150/1 Czech Republic
175/1 Russia
200/1 Wales
300/1 Scotland
500/1 Finland
500/1 Hungary
500/1 North Macedonia
750/1 Slovakia
Schedule:
Fri 11 June - GpA - Turkey 0-3 Italy (Rome, 20:00, BBC)
Sat 12 June - GpA - Wales 1-1 Switzerland (Baku, 14:00, BBC)
Sat 12 June - GpB - Denmark 0-1 Finland (Copenhagen, 17:00, BBC)
Sat 12 June - GpB - Belgium 3-0 Russia (Saint Petersburg, 20:00, ITV)
Sun 13 June - GpD - England 1-0 Croatia (Wembley, 14:00, BBC)
Sun 13 June - GpC - Austria 3-1 North Macedonia (Bucharest, 17:00, ITV)
Sun 13 June - GpC - Netherlands 3-2 Ukraine (Amsterdam, 20:00, ITV)
Mon 14 June - GpD - Scotland 0-2 Czech Republic (Hampden Park, 14:00, BBC)
Mon 14 June - GpE - Poland 1-2 Slovakia (Saint Petersburg, 17:00, ITV)
Mon 14 June - GpE - Spain 0-0 Sweden (Seville, 20:00, BBC)
Tue 15 June - GpF - Hungary 0-3 Portugal (Budapest, 17:00, ITV)
Tue 15 June - GpF - France 1-0 Germany (Munich, 20:00, ITV)
Wed 16 June - GpB - Finland 0-1 Russia (Saint Petersburg, 14:00, BBC)
Wed 16 June - GpA - Turkey 0-2 Wales (Baku, 17:00, BBC)
Wed 16 June - GpA - Italy 3-0 Switzerland (Rome, 20:00, ITV)
Thu 17 June - GpC - Ukraine 2-1 North Macedonia (Bucharest, 14:00, ITV)
Thu 17 June - GpB - Denmark 1-2 Belgium (Copenhagen, 17:00, ITV)
Thu 17 June - GpC - Netherlands 2-0 Austria (Amsterdam, 20:00, BBC)
Fri 18 June - GpE - Sweden 1-0 Slovakia (Saint Petersburg, 14:00, BBC)
Fri 18 June - GpD - Croatia 1-1 Czech Republic (Hampden Park, 17:00, BBC)
Fri 18 June - GpD - England 0-0 Scotland (Wembley, 20:00, ITV)
Sat 19 June - GpF - Hungary 1-1 France (Budapest, 14:00, BBC)
Sat 19 June - GpF - Portugal 2-4 Germany (Munich, 17:00, ITV)
Sat 19 June - GpE - Spain 1-1 Poland (Seville, 20:00, BBC)
Sun 20 June - GpA - Italy 1-0 Wales (Rome, 17:00, ITV)
Sun 20 June - GpA - Switzerland 3-1 Turkey (Baku, 17:00, ITV)
Mon 21 June - GpC - North Macedonia 0-3 Netherlands (Amsterdam, 17:00, ITV)
Mon 21 June - GpC - Ukraine 0-1 Austria (Bucharest, 17:00, ITV)
Mon 21 June - GpB - Finland 0-2 Belgium (Saint Petersburg, 20:00, BBC)
Mon 21 June - GpB - Denmark 4-1 Russia (Copenhagen, 20:00, BBC)
Tue 22 June - GpD - Croatia v Scotland (Hampden Park, 20:00, ITV)
Tue 22 June - GpD - Czech Republic v England (Wembley, 20:00, ITV)
Wed 23 June - GpE - Slovakia v Spain (Seville, 17:00, ITV)
Wed 23 June - GpE - Sweden v Poland (Saint Petersburg, 17:00, ITV)
Wed 23 June - GpF - Germany v Hungary (Munich, 20:00, BBC)
Wed 23 June - GpF - Portugal v France (Budapest, 20:00, BBC)
Sat 26 June - Match 38 - Runner-up A v Runner-up B (Amsterdam, 17:00)
Sat 26 June - Match 37 - Winner A v Runner-up C (Wembley, 20:00)
Sun 27 June - Match 40 - Winner C v 3rd D/E/F (Budapest, 17:00)
Sun 27 June - Match 39 - Winner B v 3rd A/D/E/F (Seville, 20:00)
Mon 28 June - Match 42 - Runner-up D v Runner-up E (Copenhagen, 17:00)
Mon 28 June - Match 41 - Winner F v 3rd A/B/C (Bucharest, 20:00)
Tue 29 June - Match 44 - Winner D v Runner-up F (Wembley, 17:00)
Tue 29 June - Match 43 - Winner E v 3rd A/B/C/D (Hampden Park, 20:00)
Fri 2 July - QF1 - Winner 41 v Winner 42 (Saint Petersburg, 17:00)
Fri 2 July - QF2 - Winner 39 v Winner 37 (Munich, 20:00)
Sat 3 July - QF3 - Winner 40 v Winner 38 (Baku, 17:00)
Sat 3 July - QF4 - Winner 43 v Winner 44 (Rome, 20:00)
Tue 6 July - SF1 - Winner QF2 v Winner QF1 (Wembley, 20:00)
Wed 7 July - SF2 - Winner QF4 v Winner QF3 (Wembley, 20:00)
Sun 11 July - THE FINAL (Wembley, 20:00)
The tournament looks very open, with the top end of the betting market quite tight. World champions France are slight favourites, just ahead of England's talented young team (for whom this is effectively a home tournament with them potentially playing all but one game at Wembley). Belgium have been there or thereabouts for a while - will this finally be their first tournament triumph? Defending champions Portugal, and former champions Spain can't be ruled out, Italy are a team back on the rise while Germany look like a team in decline but could they give departing manager Joachim Low a winning send-off? Wales will be hoping to match what they did in France five years ago and the draw could open up nicely for them if results go their way. Scotland will be hoping to make it past the group stage of a tournament for the first time and have a group stage clash against the Auld Enemy to look forward to as well.
GROUP A (current world ranking in brackets)
Italy (7)
Switzerland (13)
Wales (17)
Turkey (29)
GROUP B
Belgium (1)
Denmark (10)
Russia (38)
Finland (54)
GROUP C
Netherlands (16)
Austria (23)
Ukraine (24)
North Macedonia (62)
GROUP D
England (4)
Croatia (14)
Czech Republic (40)
Scotland (44)
GROUP E
Spain (6)
Sweden (18)
Poland (21)
Slovakia (36)
GROUP F
France (2)
Portugal (5)
Germany (12)
Hungary (37)
Odds: (best price available)
5/1 France
11/2 England
6/1 Belgium
9/1 Germany
9/1 Portugal
9/1 Spain
11/1 Italy
14/1 Netherlands
33/1 Denmark
50/1 Croatia
66/1 Turkey
80/1 Poland
80/1 Switzerland
100/1 Sweden
125/1 Ukraine
150/1 Austria
150/1 Czech Republic
175/1 Russia
200/1 Wales
300/1 Scotland
500/1 Finland
500/1 Hungary
500/1 North Macedonia
750/1 Slovakia
Schedule:
Fri 11 June - GpA - Turkey 0-3 Italy (Rome, 20:00, BBC)
Sat 12 June - GpA - Wales 1-1 Switzerland (Baku, 14:00, BBC)
Sat 12 June - GpB - Denmark 0-1 Finland (Copenhagen, 17:00, BBC)
Sat 12 June - GpB - Belgium 3-0 Russia (Saint Petersburg, 20:00, ITV)
Sun 13 June - GpD - England 1-0 Croatia (Wembley, 14:00, BBC)
Sun 13 June - GpC - Austria 3-1 North Macedonia (Bucharest, 17:00, ITV)
Sun 13 June - GpC - Netherlands 3-2 Ukraine (Amsterdam, 20:00, ITV)
Mon 14 June - GpD - Scotland 0-2 Czech Republic (Hampden Park, 14:00, BBC)
Mon 14 June - GpE - Poland 1-2 Slovakia (Saint Petersburg, 17:00, ITV)
Mon 14 June - GpE - Spain 0-0 Sweden (Seville, 20:00, BBC)
Tue 15 June - GpF - Hungary 0-3 Portugal (Budapest, 17:00, ITV)
Tue 15 June - GpF - France 1-0 Germany (Munich, 20:00, ITV)
Wed 16 June - GpB - Finland 0-1 Russia (Saint Petersburg, 14:00, BBC)
Wed 16 June - GpA - Turkey 0-2 Wales (Baku, 17:00, BBC)
Wed 16 June - GpA - Italy 3-0 Switzerland (Rome, 20:00, ITV)
Thu 17 June - GpC - Ukraine 2-1 North Macedonia (Bucharest, 14:00, ITV)
Thu 17 June - GpB - Denmark 1-2 Belgium (Copenhagen, 17:00, ITV)
Thu 17 June - GpC - Netherlands 2-0 Austria (Amsterdam, 20:00, BBC)
Fri 18 June - GpE - Sweden 1-0 Slovakia (Saint Petersburg, 14:00, BBC)
Fri 18 June - GpD - Croatia 1-1 Czech Republic (Hampden Park, 17:00, BBC)
Fri 18 June - GpD - England 0-0 Scotland (Wembley, 20:00, ITV)
Sat 19 June - GpF - Hungary 1-1 France (Budapest, 14:00, BBC)
Sat 19 June - GpF - Portugal 2-4 Germany (Munich, 17:00, ITV)
Sat 19 June - GpE - Spain 1-1 Poland (Seville, 20:00, BBC)
Sun 20 June - GpA - Italy 1-0 Wales (Rome, 17:00, ITV)
Sun 20 June - GpA - Switzerland 3-1 Turkey (Baku, 17:00, ITV)
Mon 21 June - GpC - North Macedonia 0-3 Netherlands (Amsterdam, 17:00, ITV)
Mon 21 June - GpC - Ukraine 0-1 Austria (Bucharest, 17:00, ITV)
Mon 21 June - GpB - Finland 0-2 Belgium (Saint Petersburg, 20:00, BBC)
Mon 21 June - GpB - Denmark 4-1 Russia (Copenhagen, 20:00, BBC)
Tue 22 June - GpD - Croatia v Scotland (Hampden Park, 20:00, ITV)
Tue 22 June - GpD - Czech Republic v England (Wembley, 20:00, ITV)
Wed 23 June - GpE - Slovakia v Spain (Seville, 17:00, ITV)
Wed 23 June - GpE - Sweden v Poland (Saint Petersburg, 17:00, ITV)
Wed 23 June - GpF - Germany v Hungary (Munich, 20:00, BBC)
Wed 23 June - GpF - Portugal v France (Budapest, 20:00, BBC)
Sat 26 June - Match 38 - Runner-up A v Runner-up B (Amsterdam, 17:00)
Sat 26 June - Match 37 - Winner A v Runner-up C (Wembley, 20:00)
Sun 27 June - Match 40 - Winner C v 3rd D/E/F (Budapest, 17:00)
Sun 27 June - Match 39 - Winner B v 3rd A/D/E/F (Seville, 20:00)
Mon 28 June - Match 42 - Runner-up D v Runner-up E (Copenhagen, 17:00)
Mon 28 June - Match 41 - Winner F v 3rd A/B/C (Bucharest, 20:00)
Tue 29 June - Match 44 - Winner D v Runner-up F (Wembley, 17:00)
Tue 29 June - Match 43 - Winner E v 3rd A/B/C/D (Hampden Park, 20:00)
Fri 2 July - QF1 - Winner 41 v Winner 42 (Saint Petersburg, 17:00)
Fri 2 July - QF2 - Winner 39 v Winner 37 (Munich, 20:00)
Sat 3 July - QF3 - Winner 40 v Winner 38 (Baku, 17:00)
Sat 3 July - QF4 - Winner 43 v Winner 44 (Rome, 20:00)
Tue 6 July - SF1 - Winner QF2 v Winner QF1 (Wembley, 20:00)
Wed 7 July - SF2 - Winner QF4 v Winner QF3 (Wembley, 20:00)
Sun 11 July - THE FINAL (Wembley, 20:00)