Gareth Southgate assured that England is equipped to manage the stress of vying for the Euro 2024 victory following the favorable group stage draw against Serbia, Denmark, and Slovenia. England successfully avoided tougher opponents in the lower-ranked pots and is expected to confidently advance to the round of 16.
The most striking event for British viewers will be Scotland’s first game against Germany on June 14th, as they kick off the tournament. This match will be held at the Allianz Arena in Munich, and Scotland will also compete against Hungary and Switzerland in a competitive Group A.
“We are aware of the pressure we face at home,” stated Southgate following the draw event held at the Elbphilharmonie concert hall. “As a team, we have made significant progress in recent years and have become accustomed to playing in high-stakes matches. We are prepared to meet this expectation and aim to give our fans more unforgettable moments, similar to what we have achieved in previous tournaments.”
Southgate downplayed the notion that the draw was easy, despite feeling a sense of relief at not being matched up against familiar opponents. He stated, “When Denmark was announced first, it caught our attention. Naturally, everyone had Italy and Croatia in mind from the lower pots. However, I must mention that Serbia is a formidable opponent and Slovenia brings back memories of one of my earliest games as manager [in October 2016]. If it weren’t for Joe Hart’s incredible save, I wouldn’t be standing here today.”
The first game for England in Group C is scheduled for 16 June, where they will compete against Serbia in Gelsenkirchen. This stadium holds significance as it was where England lost to Portugal in a penalty shootout during the 2006 World Cup quarter-finals. This will also mark the first time they will face a team led by Yugoslavian icon Dragan Stojkovic. After four days, England will take on Denmark at Waldstadion in Frankfurt, and their final match will be against Slovenia in Cologne on 25 June.
Kasper Hjulmand, the manager of Denmark, hopes to rid his team of the memories of their previous match against England. In that game, they lost to a contentious penalty scored by Harry Kane at Wembley during the semi-finals of Euro 2020.
“I often find myself waking up in the middle of the night, haunted by memories of that match,” he shared. “It’s an experience that will stay with me forever, especially since we were so close to reaching the final. It’s a tough loss to swallow. Hopefully, we can make up for it in our upcoming match in Frankfurt.”
Stojkovic thinks that Serbia will face strong contenders for the championship title. He stated, “It’s about time. Everyone expects England to become champions, whether it’s in the World Cup or European Championships. Perhaps now is the opportunity to prove them wrong.”
In their first major competition appearance since 1998, Scotland will kick off their tournament by facing Brazil, just like they did in the World Cup. On June 19th, they will play against Switzerland in Cologne and then potentially face a crucial match against Hungary in Stuttgart on June 23rd. Scotland’s manager, Steve Clarke, expressed excitement for the opening game and hopes to start the tournament strong. He emphasized the importance of staying focused on the match rather than getting caught up in the event.
We are eager for it, it is a thrilling selection.
Clarke has been assigned the responsibility of making the first move against Germany’s manager, Julian Nagelsmann. Nagelsmann had to endure an eight-hour drive to Hamburg due to flight cancellations caused by heavy snow in Munich.
If Wales successfully goes through the play-off matches against Finland and either Poland or Estonia in March, they will be placed in Group D, which includes strong teams like France, the Netherlands, and Austria. According to manager Rob Page, it seems to be one of the most challenging groups. He acknowledges that there is a lot of work to be done to qualify, but the potential rewards are worth it. All 12 teams competing in the play-offs, vying for three spots in the finals, were present in Hamburg.
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Italy, the current champions, will face tough competition in Group B against Spain, Croatia, and Albania.
In the event that Serhiy Rebrov’s Ukrainian team, who have been obligated to play away games due to Russia’s invasion, successfully make it through the playoffs, they will have a favorable Group E with Belgium, Romania, and Slovakia. The other teams vying for that spot include Bosnia-Herzegovina, Iceland, and Israel.
In Group F, Portugal, the Euro 2016 champions, will face off against Turkey, Czech Republic, and the winner of the play-offs between Greece, Georgia, Kazakhstan, and Luxembourg.
The draw was unexpectedly interrupted multiple times by what seemed to be explicit sounds. As a result, BBC Radio Scotland’s Sportsound show had to abruptly end due to the extent of the disturbance.
“I overheard something and from my deductions, I suspect there may be a prank taking place. However, I couldn’t quite discern what exactly it was,” stated Southgate when questioned about an embarrassing incident involving Uefa.
On Saturday, Uefa’s executives gathered at the lavish Hotel Atlantic in Hamburg to discuss and approve changes for the Women’s Champions League. The new format will consist of a league phase with 18 teams, followed by knockout rounds, starting from the 2025-26 season. Additionally, a new competition for women’s clubs will also be established.
Source: theguardian.com
