Explainers

IF you had said before the start of Euro 2024 that Belgium were staring down group stage elimination while Romania were looking to top the group, you would have been called mad.However, that is the exact reality we are witnessing in Group E.Romania celebrated a historic Euros win overCredit: RexMeanwhile, Belgium were left disappointed against SlovakiaCredit: RexFavourites Belgium were shocked with a 1-0 defeat against Slovakia in their opening game.They had more than enough chances to seal the deal, with Romelu Lukaku proving particularly profligate in front of goal.Belgium even had the ball in net TWICE, only for play to be called back for an offside and a controversial handball with a so-called “snickometer”.But for Slovakia, Ivan Schranz’s 7th minute strike was all they needed after pouncing on Jeremy Doku’s sloppy back pass into the penalty area.Read more Euro 2024 Statistically, it was the biggest upset in Euro’s history, with the Red Devils ranked third in Fifa’s global rankings and the Falcons ranked 48th at the time.Meanwhile, Romania currently sit 47th in the rankings and smashed three past Ukraine in their opening match.The Tricolours were not expected to make waves at this tournament – having only progressed into the knockout’s once (in 2000) previously – but two screamers and an expertly worked corner saw them rocket to the top of the group.Now the two sides meet with vastly different fates on the line, we take a look at the two teams going into the clash.Most read in FootballBelgium Euro 2024 guideBELGIUM blend youth and experience as they look to win their first international trophy

Romelu Lukaku has seen it all, and scored 14 goals in qualifying, while Man City’s Jeremy Doku, 21, will hope to announce himself on the international stage.
MANAGER: Domenico Tedesco
Maverick Italian coach impressed at club level with Schalke 04 and RB Leipzig.
STAR MAN: Jeremy Doku
The winger provided an extra dimension to Man City as they beat Arsenal to the title and should be an ever-present in the Red Devils’ line-up at Euro 2024.
How Belgium attack
Belgium look to ensure they have control of the ball before playing in more advanced areas of the pitch.
One possession is secure, they will overload with as many as five players tasked with keeping the opposition defence occupied.
How Belgium defend
Belgium’s ageing Golden Generation will form a 4-3-3 mid-block and will not be overly aggressive in the press.
They are comfortable dropping deep and looking to force the opposition to play wide.
Read the full Belgium Euro 2024 guide here, including predicted line-ups, odds and Wags

Romania Euro 2024 guideFORMER World Cup quarter-finalists Romania are back after eight years without qualifying for a tournament.
They aren’t pretty to watch but they are effective and topped their qualifying group unbeaten ahead of Switzerland.
MANAGER: Edward Iordanescu
His father Anghel managed them at the 1994 World Cup where they reached the last eight. Tough act to follow.
STAR MAN: Radu Dragusin
Has struggled to win a first team place at Spurs but has been a stalwart at international level.
How Romania attack
Romania will play out from the back and play one or two-touch passes to break between the lines.
However, they can run out of ideas when faced with a low block.
How Romania defend
Romania do not tend to press high as a unit and their players can be dragged out of position up the pitch.
However, they are far more effective close to their own goal with the midfield dropping deep to support the back four.
Read the full Romania Euro 2024 guide here, including predicted line-ups and latest odds

EURO 2024 FREE BETS AND OFFERSWhat does their form look like?Before their defeat to Slovakia, Belgium were unbeaten since their second game at the 2022 World Cup.However, at tournament football such a record counts for squat.In Romania’s case, before Ukraine they were actually on a four-game winless run.In fact, they had won just four of their last ten matches.It is their head-to-head record which turns up more even interesting results.The record stands at five wins for each with two draws.They have only met twice in the 21st century, with friendly games ending 2-1 with a win apiece.Romania are actually something of a bogey team for Belgium, with only one defeat against them in their last five meetings. What is the team news and any injuries to worry about?Belgium will be sweating on the fitness of Arthur Theate and Jan Vertonghen after their Yannick Carrasco left-back gambit failed to pay off.Youri Tielemans is another who could be brought into the team to add more creative spark.Otherwise it is the same as before.Likewise, Romania emerged from their Ukraine win injury free.However, veteran striker Denis Alibec is eyeing a return from injury.Though it is unlikely Romania will tinker with their winning formula given what is at stake.Who will be the star men?Kevin De BruyneDespite Belgium being unable to get the ball into the net (legally) there was no shortness of creativity from midfield.Manchester City star Kevin De Bruyne was still the creative heartbeat of the team and he will once again be expected to fulfil that role against Romania.Nicolae StanciuNicolae Stanciu’s stunning opening goal saw him lead the way for his nation against Ukraine.He would have already earned hero status for that alone, even forgetting his exploits as their top scorer in qualifying, and if he can do it again he might go down as a Euro 2024 icon.What have the managers said?Following their opening defeat, Belgium boss Domenico Tedesco refused to blame VAR for the loss and said he want’s to be a fair loser.He said: “It’s tough for me to speak now. If we would have won, I could probably share my opinion a little more. “But we lost and I want to be a good or at least a fair loser; we shouldn’t be talking about VAR. “We trust these guys, we trust the VAR and the referees and if they blow and say it’s handball we have to trust and accept it and that’s that…”Everyone is disappointed but I think you can harness that and make use of this defeat. We weren’t able to win the game, but there are positives we can take away.”Domenico Tedesco took the positives from the Slovakia gameCredit: GettyEdward Iordanescu called his Romania team the ‘generation of souls’Credit: AlamyRomania manager Edward Iordanescu was in a jubilant mood after beating Ukraine, and even went as far as calling this team the “generation of soul”.He said: “Today I felt some feelings for the first time. I lost control of myself. I would like to thank every Romanian, everywhere in the world…”We have had golden generations but this nation does not represent any metal. “It is the generation of soul. Such a big heart, such a soul, no one has ever had that. “This generation is limitless. They have done so much. They ran until they fell over.”SunSport predictionBelgium are a wounded foe after their shock defeat in the opener, while Romania are on a high.For all of Romania’s quality, Belgium will be desperate for a result and surely won’t get as unlucky as they did against Slovakia again.Belgium 3-1 RomaniaWhen is Belgium vs Romania?
Belgium’s big clash against Romania will take place on Saturday, June 22.
The game will kick off at 8pm BST.
The RheinEnergieStadion in Cologne, Germany will play host to the game.
What channel is it and can it be live streamed?
Belgium vs Romania will be shown live on ITV1 and ITV1 HD in the UK.
You can live stream the action from the ITV X app, which is available for download onto your mobile or tablet device.
Can I watch for FREE?
Yes, you can watch the game for FREE, so long as you have a valid TV licence.
READ MORE SUN STORIESOdds
Belgium – 1/2
Draw – 10/3
Romania – 6/1
*Odds courtesy of William Hill and correct at time of publication.EURO 2024 LIVE: KEEP UP TO DATE WITH ALL THE LATEST NEWS FROM GERMANY More

POLAND continue their Euro 2024 campaign with a huge Group D clash against Austria.The Eagles kicked off their tournament with a narrow 2-1 loss to the Netherlands.Poland were beaten by a late Netherlands strike in their Group D openerCredit: REUTERSFrance beat Austria 1-0 on Monday nightCredit: REUTERSA late Wout Weghorst strike gave the Dutch all three points in their Group D opener.Poland were without captain Robert Lewandowski for the Netherlands clash – but the starman is expected to return for Friday’s clash.Meanwhile, Austria began their tournament with a respectable 1-0 loss to Euro 2024 favourites France.It’s looking like Poland and Austria’s hopes of reaching the knockout stages will be reliant on finishing as one of the best four third-placed sides.EURO 2024 FREE BETS AND OFFERSWhen is Poland vs Austria?
Poland vs Austria will take place on Friday, June 21.
The game will kick off at 5pm BST.
The Olympiastadion in Berlin will play host to the Group D clash.
What channel is it and can it be live streamed?
Poland’s big clash against Austria will be shown live on ITV1 and ITV1 HD in the UK.
You can live stream all the action from the ITV X app, which is available for download onto your mobile or tablet device.
Can I watch for FREE?
Yes, Poland vs Austria is FREE to watch, so long as you have a valid TV licence.
Alternatively, you can follow SunSport’s live blog to keep up to date with all the action.
Team newsThe big news for Poland is that talisman Lewandowski is set to return to action after he took part in training earlier this week.Most read in Football33-year-old defender Bartosz Salamon is a doubt for the Eagles due to hurting his ankle against the Dutch.Austria gaffer Ralf Rangnick is not expecting to have any fresh injury concerns for the all-important Group D clash on Friday.Odds
Poland – 13/5
Draw – 13/5
Austria – 21/20
*Odds courtesy of William Hill and correct at time of publication. More

SLOVAKIA can do the unthinkable and secure a spot in the Euro 2024 knockouts with a game to spare – but Ukraine have other ideas.Ivan Schranz’s sensational strike was enough to see the Slovakians pull off a historic victory over Belgium during their opening Group E fixture.And if results go their way, Serhiy Rebrov could be leading his side to another knockout campaign – but even quicker than they did it in 2016.Meanwhile, Ukraine got off to the worst possible start as they got humiliated 3-0’in their Euro 2024 opener by underdogs Romania.Goals from Nicolae Stanciu, Denis Dragus and Razvan Marin put Oleksandr Zinchenko and Co bottom of the charts.However, it just takes one positive result for everything to be flipped on it’s head, so this game is perfectly poised to be a good one.Read more on Euro 2024EURO 2024 FREE BETS AND OFFERSWhen is Slovakia vs Ukraine?
Ukraine’s second Euro 2024 Group E match against Slovakia will take place on Friday, June 21.
It is scheduled to get underway at 2pm BST – 3pm local time.
Dusseldorf Arena is the chosen venue for this contest and it can host approximately 54,600 roaring fans.
Slovakia pulled off a huge 4-1 win against Ukraine when the sides last met in a 2018 Nations League tie.
What TV channel is it on and can it be live streamed?
Slovakia vs Ukraine will be broadcast LIVE on BBC One in the UK.
Coverage is expected to commence from 1:30pm BST – 30 minutes before kick-off.
Fans can stream the entire action via BBC iPlayer which is available on a compatible tablet device or mobile phone
Alternatively, Sunsport will have minute-by-minute action of the whole match.
What is the team news?Slovakian head coach Francesco Calzona is unlikely to make any changes from the opening win against Belgium.Ondrej Duda limped off during the victory with cramp late on, but it is not a worry for this upcoming fixture.Elsewhere, Vitliy Mykolenko missed Ukraine’s defeat to Romania with a foot injury and will likely be ruled out of the Slovakian clash too.Can I watch it for FREE?YES!Ukraine’s match against Slovakia can be watched for FREE as long as you have a valid TV license in the UK.What are the odds?
Slovakia – 27/10
Draw – 12/5
Ukraine – 21/20
*Odds courtesy of William Hill and correct at time of publication. More

WHEN giants collide, sparks fly. And that is exactly what we will be hoping for once again when the Netherlands take on France this Friday.Wout Weghorst was the hero for the Netherlands against PolandCredit: AFPFrance will likely be without Kylian Mbappe for the gameCredit: GettyThe two nations favoured to progress from Group D will lock horns with the hopes of topping the group.Both sides came away with victories in their opening games and can take control of the group with a win here. The Netherlands triumphed 2-1 over Poland after Wout Weghorst made his mark from the bench after 83 minutes.Their performance was not becoming of a team who represent total football, with sloppy finishing their main Achilles heel, but getting off to a good start was the main concern in the game.Read more on Euro 2024Meanwhile, France laboured to a 1-0 win over a tough Austria team courtesy of an own goal from Max Wober.Kylian Mbappe’s dangerous wing play and cross left Wober with no chance to react as the ball pinged off his head and into the net, but France are not expected to have their trump card for this game.That is because Mbappe suffered a broken nose against Austria.While he is expected to return for their final group match against Poland, game two will likely come too soon for the new Real Madrid star.Most read in Euro 2024EURO 2024 FREE BETS AND OFFERSNetherlands Euro 2024 guideRONALD KOEMAN has overhauled Holland’s playing style after returning for a second stint in charge.
Captain Virgil van Dijk will be expected to be a stalwart in defence while Xavi Simons will be hoping for a breakout tournament. But they may miss injured Frenkie de Jong.
MANAGER: Ronald Koeman
Ex-Barcelona and Everton boss was the scourge of England as a player when he knocked Graham Taylor’s side out of World Cup qualifying in 1994.
STAR MAN: Virgil van Dijk
Liverpool star has won everything there is to win at club level and will be counted on to keep things tight at the back.
How Holland attack
The Netherlands will play with a typically Dutch patient possession-based build-up.
They will stagger their positions to play through the lines, but can be overly individualistic in the final third.
How Holland defend
The Dutch will play with a medium block, allowing the opposition to break the first line before engaging in the midfield area.
They can run into problems when they fail to protect the middle of the pitch.
Read the full Netherlands 2024 guide here, including predicted line-ups, odds and Wags

France Euro 2024 guideFRANCE are the one nation all England fans are truly afraid of.
They are many punters’ favourites after knocking the Three Lions out of the 2022 World Cup and will be hoping to do much better than at Euro 2020, when they lost to Switzerland in the last 16.
MANAGER: Didier Deschamps
Coming up to 12 years in the job, the only thing missing from his CV is a European Championship.
STAR MAN: Kylian Mbappe
Mbappe’s PSG may have underachieved on the European stage but he remains France’s most deadly threat, with a World Cup trophy and a World Cup final hat-trick to his name.
How France attack
Expect to see France play in a fluid 4-3-3 – which becomes 4-2-3-1 in possession – throughout the tournament.
Giroud acts as the focal point in the attack with the two wide players and Griezmann as No 10 supporting.
How France defend
We can expect to see France defend high with an emphasis on winning back possession as far up the pitch as possible.
France will stagger their defensive shape when the opposition are in possession.
Read the full France Euro 2024 guide here, including predicted line-ups, odds and Wags.

What does their form look like?The Netherlands have won eight of their last ten games.The only blots on their record have come against France and Germany.France have lost just two of their last ten games, which included a win over the Netherlands, won six.However, those two defeats both came against Germany, who themselves had an impressive start to the tournament.Les Blues also have a major head-to-head advantage in their favour, winning six of the last seven games between the nations.Overall, France have 16 wins to 11 in their favour, with another three draws between them.What is the team news and any injuries to worry about?For the Oranje there are no fresh injury concerns, only the selection dilemmas of whether to start Weghorst up front or to change up personnel out wide. The likes of Jeremie Frimpong and Donyall Malen looked dangerous off the bench so may be moved in to offer a more dynamic threat than what Xavi Simons offered in the first match.The big news for France is the likely absence of Mbappe.It throws up the question of who will replace him, and the potential answer to that could be Kinglsey Coman or Randal Kolo Muani.Didier Deschamps has the option to move Marcus Thuram up front in place of Mbappe while adding Coman on to the wing.Alternatively, Thuram could remain on the wing with Kolo Muani up front, or possibly even old favourite Olivier Giroud.Who will be the star men?Virgil van DijkCaptain Virgil van Dijk will be tasked with keeping a clean sheet against one of the best attacks in the world, even without Mbappe.He largely impressed against Poland in the opener, and his experience will be needed to ensure the Dutch have a chance this game.N’Golo KanteTalking of experience, there are not many with more than ex-Chelsea and Leicester star N’Golo Kante.He is back in the national team after a two-year absence, but his engine is enough to dominate any midfield battle in world football, and with potentially no Mbappe for France his role will be even more important.What have the managers said?Netherlands manager Ronald Koeman bemoaned his sides missed chances against Poland and said they were “lucky” to get away with it.He said: “It should have been 4-1 to us after an hour. We played very well but were not able to find the net. “It was dangerous for us but we were lucky and we scored a second goal… I think the final result increased our confidence today.”He added: “I’ve not been thinking of the next line-up, it’s weird to think about that, we’ve just finished this match.”I don’t know the line-up for the next match. We had to play for about an hour, then we tried with Donyell and Jeremie, fast and pacy. We decided we wanted to have new players like Donyell and Jeremie.”France have more qualities than Poland, they play with a different style, spaces will be different. That match of course we want to win as well, we want to beat them and that will be our focus.”Dutch boss Ronald Koeman said his team were ‘lucky’ against PolandCredit: GettyFrance boss Didier Deschamps called on his players to improve in certain areasCredit: GettyDeschamps was pleased enough with the opening win, even if he admitted they could have done better.He said: “It’s always good to start off with a win against an opponent that is very good, with a lot of athletic qualities, who put a lot of pressure on us.”We could have managed certain situations better, but overall I would assess the match as a positive. “We had to fight. And this is important. We need to keep that up for the rest of the tournament. “I’m satisfied with our first victory. We have 36 hours now to recuperate. “I don’t think the computer was very nice to us.”SunSport predictionFrance could find it difficult to find the back of the net without their talisman, though we expect that talent to still come to the fore.That being said, the Dutch are no pushovers and will make a fair go of it, we just don’t see them having enough to get a result.Netherlands 1-2 FranceWhen is Netherlands vs France?
France’s huge game against the Netherlands will take place on Friday, June 21.
The clash will kick off at 8pm BST.
The Red Bull Arena in Leipzig, Germany will host the Group D match.
What channel is it and can it be live streamed?
Netherlands vs France will be shown live on BBC One in the UK.
You can live stream the action on the BBC iPlayer, which is available for download onto your mobile or tablet device.
Can I watch for FREE?Yes, the game is available to watch for FREE on BBC One and the iPlayer, so long as you have a valid TV licence. READ MORE SUN STORIESOdds
Netherlands – 16/5
Draw – 13/5
France – 10/11
*Odds courtesy of William Hill and correct at time of publication.EURO 2024 LIVE: KEEP UP TO DATE WITH ALL THE LATEST NEWS FROM GERMANY More

NARROW results in Group C’s opening games have set up a group that could go in any direction.Every game is pivotal in three-match group stages, but the result of the Slovenia and Serbia match could end up sending one of the sides home.Serbia will be hoping to get some goals and points on the board at Euro 2024 after defeat to EnglandCredit: AlamySlovenia got off the mark with a 1-1 draw against DenmarkCredit: GettySlovenia, competing in their first Euros since 2000, fought tooth and nail and Denmark to earn a 1-1 draw in their opening game.Christian Eriksen’s stunning goal was equalled by a powerful strike from Erik Janža as the ball fell to him outside the box from a corner. Benjamin Sesko also hit the post before that, and Slovenia – ranked 57th in the world by Fifa – appeared to be good value for a win.Slovenian newspaper Delo said the national side had taken their “first step toward fulfilling their dream in Germany”, and their second mighty step will need to be to pick up a result against Serbia.Read more in Euro 2024Meanwhile, Serbia were defeated 1-0 in a slugfest of a match against England as Jude Bellingham’s late run into the area proved the difference following a deflected Bukayo Saka cross. After a slow start Serbia – ranked 33rd in Fifa’s rankings – grew into the game and bombarded the box, almost finding reward as Jordan Pickford was forced into action.The likes of Dusan Vlahovic proved to be a handful, and on another day they may have scored. Serbia are a physically imposing team with the hard graft to match, and they should be able to use that to their advantage to get some goals and, crucially, points on the board at Euro 2024.Most read in FootballEURO 2024 FREE BETS AND OFFERSSlovenia Euro 2024 guideTHE SCOTLAND of the Balkans – Slovenia have qualified for three tournaments since independence in 1990 but never reached the knockout stages.
However, striker Benjamin Sesko is touted as the next Erling Haaland and gives the Slovenes reason to be more optimistic this time.
MANAGER: Matjaz Kek
In his second spell as boss and has been in charge since 2018 – lost just two qualifying games despite having to overcome the death of his father.
STAR MAN: Jan Oblak
The Slovenes will hope that Sesko can provide the goals at one end while Oblak, one of the best goalkeepers in the world, can keep them out at the other.
How Slovenia attack
Slovenia will be one of few teams at the Euros to play a 4-4-2, with Sesko partnering former Middlesbrough striker Andraz Sporar up front.
When Slovenia attack, the two wingers will come inside to play as makeshift attacking midfielders in a front four. They are also dangerous on the counter-attack.
How Slovenia defend
Slovenia will play in two banks of four and drop deep to deny the opposition space.
They will not break out of their shape to press under almost any circumstances.
Read the full Slovenia Euro 2024 guide, including predicted line-ups, odds and Wags

Serbia Euro 2024 guideSERBIA have qualified for three of the last four World Cups but been non-existent on the European front in the past 24 years.
When they last appeared at the Euros, back in 2000, they were still called Yugoslavia and played in blue, as opposed to the red they wear today.
MANAGER: Dragan Stojkovic
Captain, leader, legend of the old Yugoslavia. Was named in the team of the tournament at Italia 90.
STAR MAN: Dusan Tadic
His best years may be behind him, but the 35-year-old is still capable of controlling games in midfield with a creative spark that cannot be ignored.
How Serbia attack
Serbia have a slow and patient build-up as they look to work the ball into the middle of the pitch.
But when they reach those areas they will rapidly change the pace and look to find foxes in the box, Aleksandar Mitrovic and/or Dusan Vlahovic.
How Serbia defend
Serbia’s striker tends to press high while the rest of the team sit deeper.
But their press can be inconsistent, leaving them easy to pass through or beat with a ball over the top.
Read the full Serbia Euro 2024 guide, including predicted line-up, odds and Wags

What does their form look like?Slovenia, nicknamed The Dragons, are unbeaten in any of their last seven games, with four wins and three draws. Their last defeat ironically came against the Danes last November in Euro 2024 qualifying.Serbia’s form is less impressive, with only four wins, five losses and one draw in their last ten games.Their warm-up games saw the White Eagles beat Sweden 3-0 and lose 1-0 to Austria, so their form is volatile.The two nations have only ever met each other four times, all of which have been competitive fixtures.The record stands at two draws and one win each, so game five could tip the win column in one team’s favour.What is the team news and any injuries to worry about?Slovenia have no fresh injuries to worry about so will likely play a similar team to the one in their opening match.Meanwhile, Serbia will be without the services of Juventus winger Filip Kostic after he suffered a knee ligament injury.Filip Mladenovic came on for him that game so could be in line to start, unless his manager favours the creativity of Dusan Tadic more in a game suhch as this.Who will be the star men?Jan OblakHis country’s most experienced player and a genuine world class talent, Atletico Madrid stopper Jan Oblak will be called into action against Serbia.His saves will prove vital in thwarting Serbia’s attackers, who will be up for this game after being locked out by England.Dusan VlahovicVlahovic didn’t have his finest game against England but still proved a handful.Should have more joy against Slovenia this time around where he can use his strength, speed and remarkable technical quality to punish his markers. What have the managers said?Slovenia coach Matjaž Kek, rued his side’s lack of tournament experience, but said they grew in confidence and will use that against Serbia.He said: “Many of my players have never played in such a big competition. When we saw something was possible [in the opener against Denmark], they started playing. “I think we will learn from this. When this team play their second or third big tournament, they will be much stronger from the outset.”Serbia boss Dragan Stojkovic said his team would do everything to try and win this game after their “frustrating” result.He said: “We’re going to do whatever we can against Slovenia – we have to win that. “I congratulate all the players [after the match against England] – there are no frustrations apart from the result. I don’t like losing but it’s part of the job.”SunSport predictionSlovenia will come out of the blocks firing after their learning curve against Denmark, however, Serbia’s quality should prove too much and tournament experience will play a huge role.Slovenia 1-2 SerbiaWhen is Slovenia vs Serbia?
Slovenia’s clash against Serbia will take place on Thursday, June 20.
The game will kick off at 2pm BST.
The Allianz Arena, home of Bayern Munich, will play host to the fixture.
What channel is it and can it be live streamed?
Slovenia vs Serbia will be shown live on ITV1 and ITV1 HD in the UK.
You can live stream the action from the ITV X app, which is available for download onto your mobile or tablet device.
Can I watch for FREE?
Yes, the game is available to watch for FREE on ITV X, so long as you have a valid TV licence.
READ MORE SUN STORIESOdds
Slovenia – 29/10
Draw – 13/5
Serbia – 19/20
*Odds courtesy of William Hill and correct at time of publication.EURO 2024 LIVE: KEEP UP TO DATE WITH ALL THE LATEST NEWS FROM GERMANY More