Euro 2024

TOURNAMENT rookies Georgia have absolutely nothing to lose as they step onto the big stage for the first time.They held their nerve in the play-off shoot-out against Greece following a win over Luxembourg.Napoli winger Khvicha Kvaratskhelia has the skill and speed to bamboozle defendersCredit: APFormer France full-back Willy Sagnol became a national hero in his adopted homeland by guiding the nation to the Euros.But this will be a huge challenge and even a point from their three games is likely to be a triumph.Sagnol’s squad play across Europe with a few in Asia and have a smattering of top grade experience.EURO 2024 FREE BETS AND OFFERSManager: Willy Sagnol The Frenchman boasts an impressive CV that includes a Champions League winner’s medal and five Bundesliga titles with Bayern Munich as a player.read more on the eurosThe 47-year-old was manager of Bordeaux before becoming assistant manager at Bayern under Carlo Ancelotti in 2017.He has been Georgia manager since 2021.Willy Sagnol has become a legend in GeorgiaCredit: GettyWilly Sagnol, left, with France team-mates Zinedine Zidane, Thierry Henry, and Claude Makelele back in 2005Credit: AP:Associated PressKey man: Khvicha KvaratskheliaWinger has made his mark in the Champions League and helped Serie to the title in 2023.With 15 goals in 29 caps for his country show why he is the main asset of Sagnol’s side.Most read in Euro 2024Likely line-upHow they could line up at the EurosHow they attackGeorgia certainly did things the hard way in qualifying for their first ever major international tournament as they came through a playoff against Greece on penalties.It is a country that tends to produce highly technical players and in Khvicha Kvaratskhelia they have a talent who could emerge as one of the stars of the tournament.We expect to see Georgia play in a 3-4-1-2 system with two mobile and dynamic strikers but their back three will help them to progress the ball.While they can at times play longer, the minnows have the quality to play out from the back and into the middle third.Three defenders spread across the pitch and offer width. In these positions one of the two central midfielders will then drop back in to offer an option to receive and link playGeorgia will build the attack with confidence from deeper areas and their stars are typically comfortable receiving the ball deep facing their own goal.They can play longer driven passes into the midfield areas before linking play and combining to play forward.Against Scotland the first pass goes short to pull the oppositin towards the ball before a longer pass into the midfielder and then a first time pass into space around the cornerThere can be no doubt that the Napoli forward Kvaratskhelia will be Georgia’s main danger as they attack. While he plays from the left at club level we tend to see him allowed to drift and play anywhere across the attack for the national team. He is a threat to drop into space to receive the ball at any point.Kvaratskhelia receives the ball in space between four opposition defenders in the match against ScotlandHow they defendFrom the defensive side of the game we expect to see Georgia drop off to play in a medium defensive block with little intent to press the ball and look to engage it high. They will typically be solid and strong centrally but they do give up spaces wide that can be exploited.Georgia are in their medium block but they are positioned centrally. As you can see there are clear spaces that can be played into in the wide areasThis form of defending could well be dangerous for Georgia in this tournament as top sides will be able to easily take advantage of the spaces.Georgia are positioned in a medium defensive block with a solid central structure. Against a team like Spain, though, these spaces can be extremely dangerous to give upBy giving up these wide spaces Georgia are inviting the opposition to attack down the sides and in these situations they can be outplayed wide through longer passes behind their defence.Greece move the ball wide we see that Georgia are slow to react and adapt. This allows the longer pass to be played easily to access the space and runners to attack behind the Georgian defencePredictionIt is hard to make a case for them advancing beyond the group phase.Besides the brilliant Kvaratskhelia and goalkeeper Giorgi Mamardashvili, who has been linked with Newcastle and Chelsea, there is a real lack of quality in the side.READ MORE SUN STORIESIf Georgia were to beat Portugal, Turkey or Czech Republic in the group stages it would be an incredible upset.Become a Euro 2024 expert in two minutesLatest oddsWilliam Hill have them at 500/1 to win Euro 2024 and 10/3 to lose all their matches.PLAY DREAM TEAM EUROS NOW!The best fantasy football game for this summer’s tournament. More

FORMER Roma and Italy striker Vincenzo Montella has taken to international management like a duck to water.His new Turkey side topped their qualification group ahead of Croatia and Wales.Vincenzo Montella is the Italian in charge of TurkeyCredit: RexGoals might be a problem – they only scored seven in the six matches excluding the wins over Latvia.Montella inherited a side that was in a funk after missing out on Qatar after a play-off defeat in Portugal, so revenge could be in the air.There was plenty of frustration in Turkey when they went out pointless from Euro 2020 – but they might be dark horses to make a run to the last eight or even further.Manager: Vincenzo MontellaRoma legend was known as the Little Aeroplane due to his goal celebration. read more on the eurosBriefly rocked up at Fulham in 2007.Has managed Fiorentina, AC Milan and Sevilla.Key man: Hakan CalhanogluInter Milan star crossed the San Siro divide so returning to the land of his birth in Turkey kit will not be a problem.Will be his team’s dead-ball threat.Most read in FootballHakan Calhanoglu is Turkey’s star manCredit: GettyEURO 2024 FREE BETS AND OFFERSLikely line-upHow they attackTurkey consistently come into major international tournaments as dark horses, with many tipping them to do well.This year appears to be no different and given that they are in a group with Portugal, Czech Republic and Georgia – they will be confident of reaching at least the knockout stage.Turkey have a modern and patient approach to the initial build-up and they look to make sure they have at least one extra player in build-up to allow them to play through the pressure.This tends to mean that one of the deeper midfielders in their 4-2-3-1 will drop back in.One of the two midfielders at the base of the Turkish midfield drops in to make sure that there are three outfield players against two Italian players pressingWhen Turkey build their attack they are patient in creating the correct shape to play through the thirds – but then aggressive when the attacking passing lanes open up.As they move into the middle they will use longer passes into wide areas where their wide attackers and full-backs look to overload the opposition.Key is in the run from the central player which drags the Italian full-back inside to cover. This creates an opening on the far side and Turkey have an overloadAs they break into the final third, Turkey are then aggressive with the movement of their front four and try to create overloads within the penalty area.Turkey attack in the wide areas and flood the boxHow they defendTurkey are aggressive in their positioning as they look to defend in the first instance in either a medium or high defensive block. They will be compact against the ball in these situations and they will look to cut off the centre of the pitch and to force the opposition to play wide.As the opposition do play the ball into the wide areas we see Turkey move aggressively to pin them inTurkey have a lot of experienced and physical players who understand how to act in pressing traps like this to force a mistake from the opposition.This is part of the reason that their higher defensive block can be effective, even against good teams.They are compact and aggressive in the way that they look to force mistakes early in the opposition attack.Turkey have pushed six players high to defend as Italy look to come out from the backWhen Turkey work and press they are compact with no space between their lines of attackers and midfielders.But even when they do become spread out they are still difficult to play through centrally. Opposition teams will generally have to be direct and aggressive in terms of playing wide or long quickly to turn the Turkish defensive block around.READ MORE SUN STORIESAlthough the Turkish defensive block is slightly less compact against Austria there are still no spaces to play into centrallyPredictionTurkey should make into the knockout rounds – but with them most likely to come second or third in their group – getting deep in the tournament may be tough with England and France possible opponents.Latest oddsWilliam Hill have them as 8/11 to finish in the top two of the group. They are 50/1 to go all the way.PLAY DREAM TEAM EUROS NOW!The best fantasy football game for this summer’s tournament. More

ENGLAND fans have been warned they could be targeted at the Euros by notorious Serbian hooligans who are known to create brutal carnage at big games. Their opening clash with Serbia has been identified as one of the four “high-risk” matches in the group stages of the tournament this season. England fans are at risk of being targeted by hooligans at Euro 2024Credit: Getty Images – GettySerbian Hooligans are one of the most notorious football fans known to create carnage during big gamesBalaclava-clad Serbian fan Ivan Bogdanov gestures towards riot police during the Euro 2012 qualifying matchCredit: GettySerbian riot police officers push back hooligans during a match in 2018Credit: AP:Associated PressEngland take on Serbia at the Veltins-Arena in Gelsenkirchen in western Germany next Sunday.But while it will be the chance for Gareth Southgate’s men to lay down a marker as one of the favourites to win the Euros, the match could be the centre of hooliganism for many fans.Travelling Three Lions supporters have forged a poor reputation for their behaviour overseas over the years.And the cheap price of strong beer has led to the Foreign Office issuing an official warning to fans telling them to “drink responsibly”.READ MORE ON EURO 2024Following the Covid pandemic and the winter Qatar World Cup, this tournament presents the first chance for a new generation of supporters to follow England at a major tournament.Approximately 1,600 known troublemakers were forced to surrender their passports for the duration of Euro 2024. However, there is a real and genuine threat of rival fans wanting to confront their English counterparts in Germany – especially by the Serbians. Serbian hooligans are one of the most violent football fans in the whole world. Most read in Euro 2024They have a reputation for clashing with cops and security teams after wreaking havoc at the football pitches. Some of their signature moves include setting off flares in between matches, fighting with rival fans, and hurling brutal insults as well as provoking others. Serbian “ultras” in particular – many of which are part of the far-right pro-Russian “Delije” or “Strongmen” Red Star Belgrade fan groups – have already made their desire to fight English and German nationals.In 2018, Serbian and Brazilian fans were pictured brawling in the stands during a game in Russia. Serb supporters were recorded chanting “Kill the Albanians” and wore T-shirts of Serbian war crimes general Ratko Mladic in a heated snub to two ethnic Albanians in the Swiss squad.Kosovo fought Serbia in a bitter war for independence in 1999 that resulted in the deaths of thousands of civilians and soldiers on both sides.In 2014, a mass brawl broke out between fans at a Euro 2016 qualifier between Serbia and Albania.Fans stormed the Partizan stadium in Belgrade and attacked players before riot police were called in to break up the bloody fight, forcing the match to be abandoned.Supporters are known to plan their violent parades days before a match and have repeatedly said they would die for their club, according to Vice TV.Are they the most notorious football fans? FROM pitch raids to mass brawls and death threats, Serbian hooligans are known wreak havoc and create carnage during football games.
Die-hard groups of hooligans are intertwined with football in Serbia – and they are known for ruthlessly attacking players on the pitch and storming opposition stalls when the match turns against them.
Hooligan firms in the Balkan state have chilling names such as The Gravediggers, Head Hunters, Zulu Warriors, and the Red Devils.
And one of their most vicious leaders is known as “Ivan the Terrible”.
In 2012, Ivan – who has been linked to Serbian far-right paramilitaries – forced a Euros qualifying match between Serbia and Italy in Genoa to be abandoned after trying to attack rival fans and police.
He rallied supporters to lob live flares and bangers onto the pitch as players warmed up and ordered them to break down barriers separating them from Italian fans while taunting police.
Tracing their lineage back to the Balkan war of the 1990s, Serb football hooligans are renowned for their tough-as-nails attitude and love of violence.
They are known for throwing live bangers at players who have switched sides and invading the pitches when games don’t go their way.
In the past, the Ultras have killed rival fans – including a Toulouse supporter in 2009 who was beaten to death with iron bars and bicycle chains.

Roughly 500,000 Serbs live in Germany and there are fears some may head to Gelsenkirchen specifically to cause trouble around the England game – similar to the scenes in Marseille at Euro 2016 when Three Lions fans were attacked by Russians.Scotland supporters are also thought to be at risk when they take on Hungary on June 23 at Stuttgart’s MHPArena. One East European platform has even chillingly vowed daily updates from the Euros “where we will cover the matches and, above all, events outside the stadium”.Up to 1,300 police officers will be deployed on matchday around the grounds with extra surveillance at fan zones and city centres as part of the massive security operation at the Euros.It is understood British police “spotters” and plain-clothed officers will also be on hand to watch England fans – especially at the Trabrennbahn racecourse where there is a fan zone for 40,000 Three Lions followers near the Veltins-Arena for the Serbia game.However, Germany’s experience with hosting major widescale sporting events means they are well prepared – which could put off some hooligans from trying to start problems. A UK law enforcement source told the i: “If you were going to hold this tournament at this time anywhere apart from the UK, then you would choose Germany. “They have a lot of experience at this kind of thing and they are putting in place a comprehensive system.“But it’s a complex picture and unfortunately England fans are still regarded as fair game, or even desirable targets, by opposing hooligan groupings. “There is particular concern about the Serbia game.”Professor Dr Geoff Pearson added to the i: “Generally, England fans don’t go looking to start fights these days. READ MORE SUN STORIES”There are some who may misbehave a bit and attract the attention of the police. “The higher risk is that local groups or other groups start targeting them.”A policeman arrests a supporter after clashes between Red Star Belgrade’s and Partizan Belgrade’s hooligansCredit: ReutersRussia hooligan charge at England supporters at end of Euro 2016Credit: Splash NewsEngland face Serbia in their Group C opener on June 9Credit: RexPLAY DREAM TEAM EUROS NOW!The best fantasy football game for this summer’s tournament. More

SIMPLY getting a team together is a miracle for this war torn nation.The people’s champions who play home games in Poland following the Russian invasion of their country.Ukraine’s dramatic play-off victory saw them qualify for the tournamentCredit: EPAQualified via a play-off victory over Iceland – England fans remember the stubborn Vikings only too well from Euro 2016 – Ukraine have Real Madrid’s goalkeeper Andriy Lunin and four Premier League players in their undoubtedly talented squad.From Chelsea’s erratic but gifted winger Mykhailo Mudryk, to experienced Arsenal left-back Oleksandr Zinchenko; they are also managed by ex-Spurs and West Ham striker Sergei Rebrov.They will be most fans’ second team in Germany this summer.Manager: Sergiy Rebrov A ticket site recently named the former Tottenham striker the sexiest manager at Euro 2024. read more on the eurosGareth Southgate was fifth so read into that what you will.Rebrov is an ex-Prem starCredit: GettyKey man: Mykhailo MudrykThe Chelsea star is capable of great speed and great frustration. Still trying to justify the £62m price tag – but he scored the play-off winner that sent Ukraine through.BEST FREE BET SIGN UP OFFERS FOR UK BOOKMAKERSLikely line-upHow they attackUkraine are expected to struggle despite being drawn into a group that is relatively straightforward with Belgium, Slovakia and Romania.Most read in Euro 2024They will line up in a standard 4-3-3 shape with a lot of structure to the way that they build their attack. Ukraine keep a solid structure and play combinations through their midfield to then attack spaceSix maddest moments at the EurosUkraine will generally be less possession-based in the way they attack and and instead will be more direct.We often see the ball played into the midfield before then going longer into the wide areas where the winger and full-back will work to overload the opposition.The ball is played from centre back into the midfield. The winger on the far side makes a movement inside and the full-back overlapsUkraine will routinely use longer passes to release runners into space.Their wide attackers like Mudryk and Arsenal target Tsygankov look to attack space from deep.Often their striker will drag defenders out of shape before before the wide men attack the space he has created.The striker make a run that drags defenders with him. Ukraine then push players into advanced positions to allow the man in possession to play behind the defenceHow they defendWe expect to see Ukraine play in a flexible manner defensively.Initially, as the opposition look to build their attack they will not press aggressively and will instead look to drop into a deeper block.This will change quickly if the opposition take a poor touch or make a poor decision as they are building the attack.As the Germans come out from the back Ukraine are not looking to apply any immediate pressure to the ballIf there is a mistake from the opposition then Ukraine will quickly adapt their approach.They are swift to move high up the pitch and defend aggressively as they look turn over possession.As the Germans make an error in possession – Ukraine push players forward and try to take advantage of thisWhen the opposition are in the more established attacking phase, Ukraine look to get players into deep defensive positions.They will be solid and well structured defensively and they will not press or break out from this block.Ukraine have all 10 outfield players behind the ball as they defend deep in a solid blockPredictionBelgium should top the group – then it is tough to separate the Ukrainians from Romania and Slovakia.The Ukraine vs Romania match could be crucial to who gets second place.READ MORE SUN STORIESIt’s hard to see them getting beyond the last-16.Latest oddsWilliam Hill have them at 100/1 to win the tournament and 11/10 to finish in the top two of Group E.PLAY DREAM TEAM EUROS NOW!The best fantasy football game for this summer’s tournament. More

BACK after eight years away from big tournaments, Romania should be confident after topping their qualifying group by five points and going unbeaten.But there are few household names in the squad familiar to English fans.Romania could be dark horses after their incredible qualifying campaignCredit: EPABest known over here is Tottenham defender Radu Dragusin.He was signed by Spurs from mid-table Italian Serie A side Genoa in January, the centre-back claimed it was a move made “in his heart” after several other big clubs showed an interest.After making a steady number of appearances upon arrival in London, Dragusin found it hard to find first-team appearances.But at only 22, he is perhaps a signing for the future and will be given more game time next season.read more on the eurosManager: Edward Iordanescu His father Anghel managed them at the 1994 World Cup where they reached the last eight. Tough act to follow.Key man: Radu DragusinHas his work cut out trying to win a place in the team at club level but often players like this still turn it on at international level.Likely line-upHow Romania could look in their opening gamePredictionWith Belgium set to win Group E and Slovakia favourites to come bottom – it will be between Ukraine and Romania for second place.There is a chance they could face England if they finish third.Most read in Euro 2024BEST FREE BET SIGN UP OFFERS FOR UK BOOKMAKERSLatest oddsWilliam Hill have them at 11/8 to finish in the top two of their group and 125/1 to go all the way and win Euro 2024.How they attackRomania set up in a 4-2-3-1 shape in this tournament.And as with so many other teams in Germany, they play out from the back through short deep combinations.They have strong technical players and they understand how to rotate and move in the midfield to create passing angles to play through the opposition press.Meet the ten Wags ready to stun at Euro 2024As Romania build out, the full-back stays wide, the midfield moves with one dropping deep and the advanced midfielder fills the gapThe midfielders for Romania are technically strong and comfortable receiving the ball when facing their own goal.They will take the ball in deep areas under pressure and typically play one or two touch football to play through and break lines.They are not particularly organised at times though as they rely on quick combinations to try to move the ball forwards.Northern Ireland are pressing high. Romania play quickly and then back to find the deepest midfielder in spaceWhile the build-up is generally effective from the Romanian’s in deep positions, they are less effective when the ball is in the final third.At times they struggle to find solutions to break down teams that are organised and effective against the ball.Northern Ireland set up in a strong defensive block. Romania have no focal point striker and as such the opposition can defend comfortablyHow they defendRomania do not use a high defensive line and they will instead drop into a medium or deep defensive block.They can struggle with maintaining their block and players can be dragged out of position.This will be dangerous in this tournament as good players will take advantage of these spaces.One of the midfielders comes forward to form a three in attack. This movement then creates space that can be played into.When the opposition are in possession in these kind of situations, Romania struggle against the ball as they do not have an effective or organised way of defending. This allows the opposition to find ways to play through or around their defensive block easily.READ MORE SUN STORIESRomania are in a medium block but their defensive shape is flat and narrowWhile they are not an effective unit when it comes to defending higher up the pitch, they defend and work well close to the Romanian goal.The midfield will collapse back to defend centrally and force the opposition wide.Switzerland are in possession in the Romania half. All ten outfield players for Romania are deep and compact to try to defend the threat More