As the Euro 2024 group stage comes to a close, we pick out the players and teams who could excel in Wednesday’s games.
The final matches of the Euro 2024 group stages take place on Wednesday, and will determine the final teams advancing to the knockout rounds.
The action begins with Slovakia taking on Romania in Group E, whilst Ukraine and Belgium face off in another crucial clash, with all four teams having a chance to advance.
Later in the day, Czechia face Türkiye in what is expected to be an end-to-end encounter in Hamburg, whilst Group F winners Portugal play Georgia in the other evening game.
Kevin De Bruyne to lead the charge again
After a disappointing performance in the opening match against Slovakia, Belgium’s skipper got into his groove against Romania, rejuvenating his side’s qualification hopes with a commanding display in their 2-0 victory. The Manchester City star was at his best, not only orchestrating the midfield, but also finding the back of the net.
The Red Devils are favoured to win the game, and De Bruyne is expected to lead the proceedings. The skipper will also aim to set up chances for Romelu Lukaku, who will be eager to get back his goal-scoring form after having three goals disallowed.
Romania could get the edge
Romania stunned Ukraine in their opening fixture with a 3-0 win, but then lost 2-0 to the World No. 3 ranked Belgium in their following fixture. Despite being on the losing side against Belgium, Romania created several chances and registered five shots on target. They are favoured to get the better of Slovakia, who themselves stunned Belgium in Round 1. The Falcons took the lead against Ukraine but then conceded two goals in the second half, halting their playoff scenario until the final day.
However, Romania have shown their solidity as a team, and that teamwork is expected to come into play again on Wednesday. The trio of Denis Drăguș, Nicolae Stanciu, and Ianis Hagi are expected to lead the charge for Romania and are good bets for attacking returns.
Schick’s absence to hurt Czechia
Czechia will head into the final group game aiming for three points, but the task will be tougher with the absence of forward Patrik Schick. Schick did not perform well in the opening game against Portugal, but the Bayer Leverkusen forward put on a strong display in the following game, scoring the crucial equalising goal against Georgia to keep his side in the knockout race.
However, the Euro 2020 joint-top scorer limped off holding his calf soon after his goal and will be unavailable for the critical game on Wednesday.
Türkiye, who had a tough night against Portugal, will aim to bounce back, and the unavailability of Schick could be an unexpected boost for Vincenzo Montella’s side.
Portugal set for perfect group record
A late comeback win against Czechia, followed by a comfortable 3-0 victory over Türkiye, has meant that Portugal have ensured their qualification to the Round of 16 as group winners.
Roberto Martínez is expected to rotate his squad, resting key players and fielding some fresh legs for the third game.
Despite the imminent changes, Portugal are favoured to win the game by multiple goals against the Euro debutants. They have plenty of depth on the bench, and the likes of João Félix, Gonçalo Ramos, and Rúben Neves are expected to be involved in the game. These players will want to seize every opportunity they get to impress Martínez and ensure Portugal maintain their winning run
