This article was produced in partnership with Upday
On the program for this Monday, there are four matches, two of which will give the opportunity to see in action two favorites of the competition, Belgium against Finland and the Netherlands against North Macedonia.
Italy finished first and unbeaten in Group A on Sunday, beating Wales 1-0 in second and also qualifying for eighth. Switzerland, 3rd, also postulates an eighth, after its clear 3-1 success over Turkey, the first big loser of this Euro.
Find daily all the information you need to know about this competition that the Blues dream of winning, three years after their world title.
What happened yesterday
Matching an 80-year-old unbeaten record, Italy finished first in Euro Group A on Sunday, beating Wales, also qualified for the eighth, 1-0, to which Switzerland will also apply on a favorable waiver. after eliminating Turkey (3-1).
This is a great accomplishment for Roberto Mancini, the coach who brought the Nazionale to its rightful place after the trauma of non-qualification for the 2018 World Cup: his eleven, already in the eighth since Wednesday, has made sure this Sunday the first place of his group and an opponent from group C in his next match: either Ukraine or Austria, opposed this Monday.
Within a team that was largely reworked for the third game, Marco Verratti made a remarkable entry into his tournament. Coming back from six weeks of injury (right knee), the Parisian got the free kick at the origin of the transalpine goal this Sunday. Then, it was he who, in the process, served his teammate Matteo Pessina for the only goal of the evening at the Stadio Olimpico (39th). Verratti even wore the captain’s armband in the second half, after Leonardo Bonucci was replaced.
This result allows Mancini to match the 30 consecutive unbeaten games (25 wins and 5 draws to date) of his distant predecessor Vittorio Pozzo, between 1935 and 1939, a coach who had offered Italy his first two world stars. (1934 and 1938).
For the Welsh, the defeat is inconsequential: second in pool A, they will face the second in group B in eighth (Russia, Finland or Denmark).
For its part, Switzerland, 4 points, can foresee a qualification in the round of 16 as the best third after its clear victory over Turkey. The “Nati” will not be fixed before Wednesday and the outcome of all the other pools.
In any case, she cured her goal difference (-1) thanks to her fireworks Seferovic (6th) and Xherdan Shaqiri (26th, 68th), author of a nice double.
Finally, Turkey, held for a big displacement of the Euro, leaves the competition by the back door and on a calamitous record: three games, three defeats, eight goals conceded and only one achievement.
The program of the day
6 p.m .: North Macedonia – Netherlands (BeIN Sports)
The “Oranje”, assured of being first in the group and meeting in the eighth a third drafted, play for honor in Amsterdam against North Macedonia, already eliminated. No calculation therefore and the spectacle in perspective.
6 p.m .: Ukraine – Austria (BeIN Sports)
The winner will accompany the Netherlands, already qualified, in the eighth. In Bucharest, a draw could nevertheless arrange the two opponents: the men of Andriy Shevchenko would, in this case, be second in the group, and the team-mates of David Alaba would have, with 4 points, a good chance of passing as better third. But with the risk of falling against an ogre – France, Portugal, Spain… – In the eighth.
9 p.m .: Finland v Belgium (BeIN Sports)
With Belgium already assured of its qualification, Finland, 3 points, comes face to face with the Red Devils in Saint Petersburg with the best and the worst in perspective: it can finish 1st in the group as well as be eliminated, depending on its result and that of Russia-Denmark. “This is the most important game in our history,” warned Finnish coach Markkus Kanerva. A big dream can come true, namely the qualification. It’s in our hands. “
9 p.m .: Russia v Denmark (BeIN Sports)
Upset by the cardiac arrest of Christian Eriksen nine days ago during Denmark – Finland (0-1), Denmark must absolutely beat Russia to see the round of 16. The victory against the Russians (3 pts) is imperative and their final position (second or candidates for the repechage of the best third) would then depend on the result of Finland. Perhaps with complex calculations involved.
The blue point
The day after their draw against Hungary (1-1), the Blues were not complete this Sunday in training. The holders of the day before performed a recovery session while the substitutes followed a more traditional program and engaged in a six against six opposition. Raphaël Varane, Benjamin Pavard and Ousmane Dembélé were absent. The latter, who came into play in the second half on Saturday and then came out shortly after due to knee pain, was taking exams at the end of the day. He is already forfeited for the match against Portugal and could also miss the 8th if France qualifies.
Kylian Mbappé arrived long after his partners, in jogging and sneakers. He did not train and settle for chatting with a few of his teammates.
The sentence to remember
“We gave everything against Belgium (Editor’s note: 2-1 defeat) and we must do the same. We’ve created so many chances for ourselves… All stats look like (a record of) six points and we’re at zero! “So expressed the Danish coach Kasper Hjulmand this Sunday, before the match Russia – Denmark, carrying his share of promises at Parken in Copenhagen on Monday. Trapped by Finland in the first match (1-0), theater of the drama Christian Eriksen, then defeated by Belgium (2-1), the Danes want to believe in their survival at the Euro.
Must-read articles
To get the day off to a good start, we recommend the soothing words of Antoine Griezmann, whose first press conference appearance this Sunday since the start of the competition.
Extract relating to the sterility of the French attack after two games: “Kyks (Editor’s note: Mbappé) and Karim have the opportunities. As soon as it comes in, it will be fine. We must remain patient and confident, ”said the number 7 of the Blues. Doubt for Benzema? “Like Kylian, like me, you need to score to let go, to free yourself.” He helps us a lot in the offensive relationship. When the faucet is open, it will flow. “
In Le Parisien, it is also question of Portugal, the next opponent of the Blues in Budapest on Wednesday evening (9 p.m.), weakened by its heavy defeat to Germany on Saturday (4-2). “The midfielders did not have the ball, underlines the ex-international Costinha. They didn’t do the right coverage. Danilo was not as good as usual. Carvalho like Bruno Fernandes failed to counter the positions of Gündogan and Kroos. They must press and play more against the Blues. If you let Rabiot, Pogba and Kanté take the ball and throw themselves, it will be like against Germany… ”
The player who made us dream: Xherdan Shaqiri
Already a scorer in the first match Wales – Switzerland, the Liverpool striker signed a fatal brace for Turkey on Sunday.
Hitherto disappointing boss of the Swiss attack, lack of playing time with the Reds, Shaqiri has regained his legs and his favorite costume, that of decisive player in the final phase. At 29 years old and 93 caps, he scored his 24th and 25th goals for Switzerland. And what goals … A powerful curled shot of the right foot (his wrong foot) in the skylight (2-0, 26th), then a wonder of curled shot without control of the left foot (3-1, 68th). And if Gunok, the Turkish goalkeeper, had not deflected the ball with his foot close to his right post in his duel against Shaqiri (28th), the double would have turned into a hat-trick …
