SPAIN take on Slovakia tonight with qualification to the last-16 of Euro 2020 still in the balance.
After two draws in their opening two matches, the Spanish could sneak through with another stalemate but will want to make sure with three points.
- Kick-off: 5pm
- TV/live stream: ITV 1/ ITV Hub
- Slovakia XI: M Dubravka, Pekarik, Satka, Skriniar, Hubocan, Kucka, Hromada, Haraslin, Hamsik, Mak, Duda
- Spain XI: Simon, Azpilicueta, E Garcia, Laporte, Alba, Koke, Busquets, Pedri, Sarabia, Morata, Moreno
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Follow ALL of the latest updates below…
SPAIN 0-0 SLOVAKIA
8 Spain are looking for an early goal to calm their nerves.
The Roja’s midfield is linking up very well with the attack while Slovakia start the game playing deep
SPAIN 0-0 SLOVAKIA
5 CHANCE!
Morata tries something between a cross and a shot from a tight angle on his left.
But Dubravka palms it away, Spain have been pressing hard in the opening few minutes
SPAIN 0-0 SLOVAKIA
3 Great news for Spain!
Sweden have opened the scoring with Forsberg’s left-foot finish against Poland!
If nothing changes in Saint Petersburg then a draw would take Spain through to the Last 16
SPAIN 0-0 SLOVAKIA
2 Another quick reminder:
Slovakia manager Stefan Tarkovic appears to have opted for a 4-2-3-1 formation with two changes to the team that lost to Sweden last week.
Martin Dubravka starts in goal with Peter Pekarik at right-back and Tomas Hubocan on the other side, while Lubomir Satka and Milan Skriniar link up at centre-back.
Juraj Kucka and Jakub Hromada, who replaces Patrik Hrosovsky, team up in midfield with captain Marek Hamsik playing at No10.
Lukas Haraslin, on for Martin Koscelnik, covers the right flank with Robert Mak on the other side, while Ondrej Duda leads the attack
SPAIN 0-0 SLOVAKIA
1 Just a quick reminder:
Spain manager Luis Enrique appears to have opted for a 4-3-3 formation with four changes to the team that drew with Poland last week.
Unai Simon starts in goal with Cesar Azpilicueta, replacing Marcos Llorente at right-back, and Jordi Alba on the other side, while Aymeric Laporte teams up with Eric Garcia, on for Pau Torres, at centre-back.
Koke, Pedri and the returning captain Sergio Busquets, who takes Rodri’s place, link up in midfield.
Pablo Sarabia, who replaces Dani Olmo, Gerard Moreno and Alvaro Morata lead the attack
PEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEP!
AND OFF WE GO IN SEVILLE!!!!!!!
HERE COME THE TEAMS!!!
The Estadio La Cartuja is ready to host the crucial Euro 2020 clash between Spain and Slovakia.
The Furia Roja are being led out by captain Sergio Busquets, whereas Marek Hamsik dons his nation’s armband.
A strong show of fans in Seville, which means we will have quite an atmosphere for what could be a dramatic encounter.
Not long to go now…
GETTY IMAGES DRAW-ING BOARD
As explained below, a draw could still work for Spain as long as Poland don’t beat Sweden.
As you can see, the Furia Roja have picked up ties in each of their last four major tournament matches.
But Luis Enrique’s men have to do much better today to seal qualification to Euro 2020’s Last 16.
More below:
YOUNG BLOOD
Spain manager Luis Enrique is showing faith in young talent despite the urgency of today’s Euro 2020 clash with Slovakia.
Barcelona duo Eric Garcia and Pedri have been named in the starting line-up despite their young age of 20 and 18 years old resepctively.
As you can tell, that is something the Furia Roja don’t tend to do too often.
More below:
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HOW DO SPAIN GO THROUGH?
As mentioned below, Spain are facing the risk of elimination in the Euros’ group stage if they don’t beat Slovakia today.
That would mark the first time they get kicked out so early in the competition since 2004 when they came up short against then hosts Portugal and Greece, who went on to win the tournament.
However, a draw may still do the trick for the Furia Roja who could qualify the same way Portugal did five years ago when they won Euro 2016.
But that could only happen if Poland don’t beat Sweden in the other game of the group, meaning that third place could still work as they have a better goal difference than Finland and Ukraine, who also amassed three points
GETTY IMAGES LEAVING A MAREK
Trabzonspor signing Marek Hamsik poses as Slovakia’s biggest star ahead of their Euro 2020 clash with Spain.
Hamsik is the Falcons’ record scorer with 26 goals in 126 appearances, which also makes him his country’s most capped player of all time.
The midfielder rose to prominence during his 12-year stint at Napoli where he amassed a whopping 121 goals and 100 assists in 520 matches across all competitions.
The 33-year-old registered one goal in six appearances for Goteborg and is now set to join Trabzonspor in July
GETTY IMAGES SLOVAKIA FORMATION
Slovakia manager Stefan Tarkovic appears to have opted for a 4-2-3-1 formation with two changes to the team that lost to Sweden last week.
Martin Dubravka starts in goal with Peter Pekarik at right-back and Tomas Hubocan on the other side, while Lubomir Satka and Milan Skriniar link up at centre-back.
Juraj Kucka and Jakub Hromada, who replaces Patrik Hrosovsky, team up in midfield with captain Marek Hamsik playing at No10.
Lukas Haraslin, on for Martin Koscelnik, covers the right flank with Robert Mak on the other side, while Ondrej Duda leads the attack
SPAIN FORMATION
Spain manager Luis Enrique appears to have opted for a 4-3-3 formation with four changes to the team that drew with Poland last week.
Unai Simon starts in goal with Cesar Azpilicueta, replacing Marcos Llorente at right-back, and Jordi Alba on the other side, while Aymeric Laporte teams up with Eric Garcia, on for Pau Torres, at centre-back.
Koke, Pedri and the returning captain Sergio Busquets, who takes Rodri’s place, link up in midfield.
Pablo Sarabia, who replaces Dani Olmo, Gerard Moreno and Alvaro Morata lead the attack
SLOVAKIA BENCH
4 Valjent, 6 Gregus, 7 Weiss, 10 Suslov, 11 Benes, 12 Kuciak, 13 Hrosovsky, 16 Hancko, 21 Duris, 22 Lobotka, 23 Rodak, 24 Koscelnik
SPAIN BENCH
1 De Gea, 4 Pau Torres, 6 Llorente, 10 Thiago, 11 Ferran Torres, 13 Sanchez, 14 Gaya, 16 Rodri, 17 Pena, 19 Olmo, 20 Traore, 21 Oyarzabal
SLOVAKIA XI
1 Dubravka; 2 Pekarik, 5 Satka, 14 Skriniar, 15 Hubocan; 19 Kucka, 25 Hromada; 18 Haraslin, 17 Hamsik, 20 Mak; 8 Duda
SPAIN XI
23 Simon; 2 Azpilicueta, 12 Garcia, 24 Laporte, 18 Alba; 8 Koke, 5 Busquets, 26 Pedri; 22 Sarabia, 9 Gerard, 7 Morata
THE TEAM SHEETS ARE IN!!!
MORE GOALS
Villarreal star Gerard Moreno caused a lot of disappointment back home last week during the 1-1 draw with Poland as he missed a penalty shot that would have given Spain the victory.
However, this doesn’t change the fact that Gerard still boasts more goal contributions than anyone else in the Furia Roja since his international debut on October 2019.
The centre-forward has participated in a total of nine goals, as he scored five times and produced four assists along the way.
The 29-year-old also enjoyed a stunning campaign in LaLiga last season as he registered 23 goals and seven assists in 33 matches, which made him the top Spanish goalscorer in the league
GETTY IMAGES SLOVAKIA STATS
Slovakia have amassed three points in Group E after beating Poland in their kick-off match and losing to Sweden in the process.
That means that a draw would be enough to get them through to the Last 16 no matter what happens in the other match of their group.
That would mark their second consecutive qualification to the knockout stages since their independence as they also made it to the Round of 16 of Euro 2016.
However, last week’s 1-0 loss to Sweden ended a six-game unbeaten run, which saw Stefan Tarkovic’s men winning twice along the way
GETTY IMAGES
SPAIN STATS
As mentioned below, Spain have been enduring a very poor start in their Euro 2020 campaign as they drew both of their matches in the group stage against Sweden and Poland.
However, their recent 1-1 tie with the Poles extended their ongoing unbeaten run to nine matches across all competitions, of which they have won a mere four.
Nevertheless, the Furia Roja have shown they can turn things around with their impressive goalscoring record as they have netted 18 goals along the way, which included a famous 6-0 win over Germany in the Nations League.
Luis Enrique’s men also registered a total of four clean sheets in the process
GETTY IMAGES HEAD-TO-HEAD
Spain and Slovakia’s first ever encounter took place way back in 1996 during a World Cup qualifier in Tenerife, which the former won 4-1 on a night that current manager Luis Enrique played and scored.
Since then, the two sides faced off a total of six times with the Furia Roja winning a majority of four matches, whereas the Slovaks have only emerged victorious once.
Stefan Tarkovic’s men will look to emulate their heroics from 2014 when they beat the Spaniards 2-1 at home during the Euro 2016 qualifiers.
However, Spain won the reverse fixture a year later with a score of 2-0, thanks to goals by Jordi Alba and Andres Iniesta, which marks their most recent encounter to date
GETTY IMAGES GOOD AFTERNOON FROM SEVILLE
Welcome to our live coverage of the Euro 2020 group stage match between Spain and Slovakia at the Estadio La Cartuja.
It’s go time for both teams with their fates set to be decided on a very open Group E that either one could end up topping or finishing at the bottom of the pile.
Of course, much is also going to depend on the other big game of the group between Sweden and Poland, who face off at the same time at the Gazprom Arena in Saint Petersburg.
Spain have been enduring a very disappointing start in their campaign, that could even lead to an abrupt ending unless they finally win today.
Furia Roja manager Luis Enrique has received a major boost as Barcelona legend Sergio Busquets has returned to full training and will be available for selection following his recent bout with coronavirus.
Therefore, he could earn a place in the starting line-up next to Barca team-mate Pedri ahead of Manchester City star Rodri, who was booked against Poland last week.
Slovakia manager Stefan Tarkovic, on the other hand, is going to be without Lazio loanee Denis Vavro, who is still self-isolating after testing positive for COVID-19.
The Slovaks are also going to be without Slavia Prague forward Ivan Schranz as he is still dealing with a thigh injury
GETTY IMAGES
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
