You may recall that earlier this week, we took a look at what some of the best Euro 2020 outright bets for the tournament would be, looking at which teams could be the winners and who could land the top goalscorer award.
Now in this special preview article, we are going to turn our attention towards the finer detail of the tournament and look particularly at the six different groups that will make up the opening phase of the competition.
The 24 teams have been split into six groups of four and they play each other once in the group phase. The top two teams in each group, along with the four best third-place teams, make it through to the Round of 16.
With the Round of 16 fixtures seeded based on finishing positions in the group stage, it does mean that teams are not only scrambling to qualify, but to also give themselves a preferable draw as they go into the latter stage of the tournament.
As is always the case for major football tournaments, my preferred choice of operator to place my bets with is bet365 Sport, due to the fact the site has so many markets available on the tournament and each individual group and game. That is true for both pre-tournament and pre-match markets, as well as for Live In Play betting while the games are in progress.
If you are based in the United States and want to enjoy some fantastic betting on the tournament, then BetRivers Sportsbook offers a fantastic service at its different sites available in different states across the U.S.
The group phase begins on Friday night in Rome, Italy with the hosts taking on Turkey in the opening match of the tournament. It starts a busy period of 14 days in which all matches in the group phase will be played, ending on the 23rd June.
Let’s now look at our predictions for each of the six groups, with the teams qualifying for the Round of 16 highlighted in bold.
Group A
- Italy
- Turkey
- Wales
- Switzerland
Match Venues – Rome (Italy) & Baku (Azerbaijan)
Group A Fixtures
- June 11 – Turkey v Italy (Rome, 8pm)
- June 12 – Wales v Switzerland (Baku, 2pm)
- June 16 – Turkey v Wales (Baku, 5pm)
- June 16 – Italy v Switzerland (Rome, 8pm)
- June 20 – Italy v Wales (Rome, 5pm)
- June 20 – Switzerland v Turkey (Baku, 5pm)
Group A Analysis
With Italy playing all three of their group games in Rome, and given the excellent form shown by Roberto Mancini’s men of late, it is hard to see anybody getting the better of the Italians to top this group. As such, I would expect Italy to take top spot relatively comfortably in Group A.
In terms of the second place team, Switzerland I feel will be the main contenders but Turkey and Wales are both capable of springing an upset if the Swiss fail to perform. I think this group will see all teams earn points, but I am not sure Turkey and Wales will do quite enough to earn a spot in the Round of 16.
Predicted Group A Table
- Italy – 9 points (8/15 to win group)
- Switzerland – 4 points (4/7 to qualify)
- Turkey – 2 points
- Wales – 1 point
Group B
- Belgium
- Denmark
- Finland
- Russia
Match Venues – Saint Petersburg (Russia) & Copenhagen (Denmark)
Group B Fixtures
- June 12 – Denmark v Finland (Copenhagen, 5pm)
- June 12 – Belgium v Russia (Saint Petersburg, 8pm)
- June 16 – Finland v Russia (Saint Petersburg, 2pm)
- June 17 – Denmark v Belgium (Copenhagen, 5pm)
- June 21 – Russia v Denmark (Copenhagen, 5pm)
- June 21 – Belgium v Finland (Saint Petersburg, 5pm)
Group B Analysis
The Danes have the advantage in this group, playing all of their games at home, while Russia will play two games in Saint Petersburg too. However, I still feel the top ranked team in the world, Belgium will win this group.
The Belgians have a very good recent record, home and away, against both these teams and in terms of the sheer depth and quality of their squad, they should be confident of collecting enough points to win the group here, although I expect Denmark to push them very close and it may just be goal difference that separates the two.
I think Finland will be the whipping boys of this group and that may just allow Russia the chance to claim one of those third-place qualifier spots.
Predicted Group B Table
- Belgium – 7 Points (8/11 to win group)
- Denmark – 7 Points (2/9 to qualify)
- Russia – 3 Points (4/9 to qualify)
- Finland – 0 Points
Group C
- Austria
- Netherlands
- North Macedonia
- Ukraine
Match Venues – Bucharest (Romania) & Amsterdam (Netherlands)
Group C Fixtures
- June 13 – Austria v North Macedonia (Bucharest, 5pm)
- June 13 – Netherlands v Ukraine (Amsterdam, 8pm)
- June 17 – Ukraine v North Macedonia (Bucharest, 2pm)
- June 17 – Netherlands v Austria (Amsterdam, 8pm)
- June 21 – North Macedonia v Netherlands (Amsterdam, 5pm)
- June 21 – Ukraine v Austria (Bucharest, 5pm)
Group C Analysis
This is the other group where I feel we may only see two teams qualify. The Netherlands are the quality outfit here and playing all three games in Amsterdam should mean they qualify with a 100% unbeaten record.
However, the other three teams are all very well matched and I think the key result may be Ukraine just beating North Macedonia, a result which I think will see the Ukraine qualify and knock North Macedonia, and Austria out of contention for the Round of 16.
Predicted Group C Table
- Netherlands – 9 points (2/5 to win group)
- Ukraine – 5 points (4/7 to qualify)
- Austria – 2 points
- North Macedonia – 1 point
Group D
- Czech Republic
- Croatia
- England
- Scotland
Match Venues – London (England), Glasgow (Scotland)
Group D Fixtures
- June 13 – England v Croatia (London, 8pm)
- June 14 – Scotland v Czech Republic (Glasgow, 2pm)
- June 18 – Croatia v Czech Republic (Glasgow, 5pm)
- June 18 – England v Scotland (London, 8pm)
- June 22 – Croatia v Scotland (Glasgow, 8pm)
- June 22 – England v Czech Republic (London, 8pm)
Group D Analysis
England have three home games in this group and you would expect Gareth Southgate’s men to accumulate enough points to top the table. Croatia are not the force they once were and the Czech Republic are another team that are not the best, especially away from home.
Scotland are the intriguing team here and with two games at Hampden Park, could the Scots reach the second phase of the tournament? I think if they can beat the Czech’s in that opening game for them, then they could well achieve that.
Croatia should finish second in the group but there could be a few twists and turns along the way.
Predicted Group D Table
- England – 7 points (2/5 to win group)
- Croatia – 5 points (4/7 to qualify)
- Scotland – 4 points (6/5 to qualify)
- Czech Republic – 1 point
Group E
- Poland
- Slovakia
- Spain
- Sweden
Match Venues – Seville (Spain) & Saint Petersburg (Russia)
Group E Fixtures
- June 14 – Poland v Slovakia (Saint Petersburg, 5pm)
- June 14 – Spain v Sweden (Seville, 8pm)
- June 18 – Sweden v Slovakia (Saint Petersburg, 2pm)
- June 19 – Spain v Poland (Seville, 8pm)
- June 23 – Sweden v Poland (Saint Petersburg, 5pm)
- June 23 – Spain v Slovakia (Seville, 5pm)
Group E Analysis
With Spain having the big advantage of playing all three games at home, I would expect them to be the dominant force in this group and take top spot comfortably with three wins.
However, who finishes second and third behind them is much more open. Poland’s recent form is not that great, Sweden’s team lack attacking threat with Zlatan Ibrahimovic not part of their squad and Slovakia are a decent but unspectacular team and these three outfits are very well matched.
I do feel Robert Lewandowski in attack gives Poland that extra attacking edge the other teams lack and I think Sweden’s experience could see them do just enough to claim the third-place spot and a place in the Round of 16.
Predicted Group E Table
- Spain – 9 points (1/3 to win group)
- Poland – 4 points (2/5 to qualify)
- Sweden – 3 points (4/9 to qualify)
- Slovakia – 1 point
Group F
- France
- Germany
- Hungary
- Portugal
Match Venues – Munich (Germany) & Budapest (Hungary)
Group F Fixtures
- June 15 – Hungary v Portugal (Budapest, 5pm)
- June 15 – France v Germany (Munich, 8pm)
- June 19 – Hungary v France (Budapest, 2pm)
- June 19 – Portugal v Germany (Munich, 5pm)
- June 23 – Portugal v France (Budapest, 8pm)
- June 23 – Germany v Hungary (Munich, 8pm)
Group F Analysis
The Group of Death pits the 2014 World Cup Winners, 2018 World Cup Winners and 2016 European Championship winners together against a Hungary side that is improving quickly and do have the advantage of playing two games at home.
That said, I still expect them to finish bottom and pointless in this super-tough group and with Germany playing three games in Munich, they are many people’s favourites to win the group. However I think France will pip them to the top spot with Portugal earning a Round of 16 spot by finishing third.
Predicted Group F Table
- France – 7 points (11/8 to win group)
- Germany – 5 points (1/12 to qualify)
- Portugal – 4 points (2/7 to qualify)
- Hungary – 0 points
*All odds shown were correct with bet365 Sport as of 12pm on Thursday 10th June 2021.