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Luka Modričs | Photo: Croatian Football Federation
Today, in the final tournament of the 2021 European Football Championship, there will be two quarterfinal fights, the winners of which will meet in the quarterfinals. First, at 7 pm Latvian time, there will be a match between Croatia and Spain in Copenhagen, but three hours later, the current vice-champion France and Switzerland will fight in Bucharest. The matches will be broadcast live on TV6. The winners of these games will meet in the quarterfinals of the championship on July 2 in St. Petersburg.
EC 1/8 finals
Denmark – Wales 4:0 (1:0)
The Netherlands – Czech Republic 0:2 (0:0)
England – Germany 19:00 (29.06)
Sweden – Ukraine 22:00 (29.06)
Croatia – Spain 19:00 (28.06)
France Switzerland 22:00 (28.06)
Italy – Austria 2:1 (0:0, 0:0) P
Belgium – Portugal 1:0 (1:0)
Croatia – Spain
The Croatian footballers won the second place in subgroup D, where they lost 0: 1 to England, fought a draw 1: 1 with the Czech Republic and beat Scotland 3: 1 in the decisive game. Ivan Perišič scored two goals for the Croatians, but due to a positive Covid-19 test, he was forced to go into self-isolation and did not go to the venue of the eighth final.
Spain started the championship with a great dominance over Sweden, but the match ended in a draw 0: 0. After that, another draw 1: 1 against Poland, but in the final and decisive game, the Spaniards defeated Slovakia 5: 0, winning second place in subgroup E. Pavlo Sarabia and Herard Moreno were the most productive for the Spaniards with two assists. Defender Dejan Lovren will not be able to help the Croatian national team due to the warnings.
Spain is a three-time European champion and is the only team to have won two titles in a row (2008 and 2012). The Spaniards are also 1984 vice-champions. The finalists of the 2018 World Cup in the European Championships have reached the quarter-final stage twice.
Of the eight games between the two teams, four have been won by Spain, three by Croatia, but one match has ended in a draw. Both teams met in the subgroups of the previous two finals. In 2012, the Spaniards won 1-0, scoring the goal in the 88th minute for Hesus Navas. Four years later, the Croatians won 2: 1, thanks to Pericisch’s accurate shot in the 87th minute.
Composition of the Spanish team
goalkeepers: David de Hea (Manchester United, England), Unai Simon (Bilbao Athletic), Robert Sanchez (Brighton and Hava Albion, England);
Defenders: José Gay (Valencia), Eric Garcia, Aimerik Laport (both City of Manchester), Jorge Alba (Barcelona), Diego Ljorente (Leeds United, England), Pau Torress (Villarreal) , Sesar Aspilikveta (London Chelsea, England);
midfielders: Fabians Ruiss (Naples, Italy), Sergio Buskett (Barcelona), Rodrigo Ernandess (Manchester City, England), Koke (Madrid’s Atletico), Tiagu Alcantara (Liverpool, England), Ferrans Torress (Manchester City, England), Marcos Llorente (Madrid Atletico), Dani Olmo (Leipzig, Germany), Rodri (Manchester City, England), Pavlo Sarabia (Paris Saint-Germain), France ), Adam Traore (Wolverhampton Wanderers, England);
attackers: Mikel Ojarsabal (Real Sociedad in San Sebastian), Herard Moreno (Villarreal), Alvaro Morata (Juventus in Turin, Italy), Pedri (Barcelona).
Composition of the Croatian national team
vārtsargi: Lovre Kaliničs (Splitas “Hajduk”), Dominiks Livakovičs (Zagrebas “Dinamo”), Simons Sluga (“Luton Town”, England);
protectors: Domagoy Vida (Istanbul Besiktas, Turkey), Dejan Lovren (Zenith, St Petersburg, Russia), Shime Vralsalk (Madrid’s Atletico, Spain), Born Barishich (Glasgow’s Rangers, Scotland), Duje Chalal (Olympique in Marseille, France), Josip Juranovich (Legia in Warsaw, Poland), Domagoy Bradaric (Lille, France), Mile Škorič (Osijek), Josko Gvardiol (Osasuna, Spain);
midfielders: Lucca Modric (Real Madrid, Spain), Mateo Cochicch (London Chelsea, England), Marcelo Brozovich (Inter Milan, Italy), Milan Badel (Genoa, Italy), Mario Pasalich (Bergamo) Atalanta ”, Italy), Nikola Vlašič (Moscow CSKA, Russia), Luka Ivanušec (Zagreb Dinamo);
attackers: Ivan Pericic (Inter Milan, Italy), Andrei Kramarich (Hoffenheim, Germany), Ante Rebich (AC Milan, Italy), Josip Brecalo (Wolfsburg, Germany), Bruno Petkovich, Misslas Orchic ( both Zagreb Dinamo), Ante Budimir (Osasuna, Spain).
France – Switzerland
Meanwhile, France defeated Germany 1-0 in the championship, then it was a 1: 1 draw with Hungary and another 2: 2 draw with Portugal at the end of the sub-tournament – enough to win the F-group. Karim Benzema scored two goals for the French. Switzerland played a draw 1: 1 with Wales at the start of the championship, then a 0: 3 loss to Italy, and a 3: 1 victory at the end, giving them third place in subgroup A and then a ticket to the eighth final. Twice, the Swiss stood out Jerdan Shachiri.
The 1984 and 2000 champions France have reached the “play-off” in six of the last seven finals. Five years ago, the French finished second, losing to Portugal in the final, which has already taken over the championship. Switzerland is participating in its fifth championship, but has only been able to leave the group in the new format. In 2016, Switzerland was stopped by Poland in the eighth final after the 11-meter stroke series.
Both teams have 38 matches in the back, with 16 wins for France, 12 for Switzerland and ten matches with a draw on the scoreboard. So far, France and Switzerland have met for the last time face-to-face in the 2016 European Championship subgroup, with the duel in Lille ending the draw without a draw. The meeting in the subgroup of the 2014 World Cup final tournament was much more stormy, where the French won with 5: 2. At that time, Granit Jack, Olivier Girou and Karim Benzema were among the winners of this final tournament. Also, the paths of the two national teams intersected in the sub-group of the 2004 European Championship and the sub-group of the 2006 World Cup – first the victory was 3: 1 for the French, but then the goal without a draw 0: 0.
Composition of the French team
goalkeepers: Igo Lori (Tothenburg Hotspur, England), Mike Changin (Lille), Steve Mandanda (Marseille Olympique);
defenders: Luke Din (Liverpool’s Everton, England), Leo Dubu (Lyon’s Olympique), Luke Ernandes, Benjamin Cook (both Bayern Munich, Germany), Presnell Kimpembe (Paris-Saint-Germain), Blue Kounde (Seville, Spain), Clement Lange (Barcelona, Spain), Raphael Varan (Real Madrid, Spain), Kurt Zuma (London Chelsea, England);
midfielders: Ngolo Kant (London Chelsea, England), Thomas Lemar (Madrid Atletico, Spain), Paul Pogba (Manchester United, England), Adrien Rabio (Turin Juventus, Italy), Musa Sisoko (Tothenburg) Hotspur, England), Corentin Tolis, Kingsley Coman (both Bayern Munich, Germany);
Attackers: All Ben Jeder (Monaco), Karim Benzema (Real Madrid, Spain), Usman Dembele, Antoine Grizman (both Barcelona, Spain), Olivier Girou (London Chelsea, England), Kiljan Mbape (Saint-Germain, Paris), Marcus Thiram (Borussia, Mönchengladbach, Germany).
Composition of the Swiss national team
goalkeepers: Ivon Mvogo (PSD of Eindhoven, the Netherlands), Jan Zommer (Borussia, Mönchengladbach, Germany), Gregor Kobel (Borussia, Dortmund, Germany);
Defenders: Manuel Akanji (Borussia, Dortmund, Germany), Loris Benito (Girondin, Bordeaux, France), Erie Kemert, Silvan Vidmer (both Basel), Niko Elvedi (Borussia, Mönchengladbach, Germany), Jordan Lotomb (Nice, France), Kevin Mbabu (VfL Wolfsburg, Germany), Becir Omeragich (Zurich), Ricardo Rodriguez (Turin, Italy), Fabian Cher (Newcastle United, England);
midfielders: Christian Fasnacht (Bern’s Young Boys), Edimilsson Fernandes (Mainz 05, Germany), Remo Freiler (Bergamo Atalanta, Italy), Granite Jack (London’s Arsenal, England), Denis Zakaria (Monchengladbach) Borussia, Germany), Jibril Sow (Frankfurt Eintracht, Germany), Ruben Vargas (Augsburg, Germany), Jerdan Schachiri (Liverpool, England), Steven Cuber (Frankfurt Eintracht, Germany);
Attackers: Mario Gavranovich (Dinamo Zagreb, Croatia), Admiral Mehmedi (VfL Wolfsburg, Germany), Brill Embolo (Borussia, Germany), Harris Seferovich (Benfica, Lisbon, Portugal).
Situation in the tournament
Two pairs of the quarterfinals are already known, where Belgium and Italy will meet in Munich on July 2, and Baku will be the opponent of the Czech and Danish national teams on July 3. At the end of the eighth final, England will fight Germany in London on Tuesday, and Ukraine will face Sweden in Glasgow. The quarter-finals will take place on July 2 and 3, the semi-finals on July 6 and 7, and the final match is expected on July 11.
The final tournament of the 2021 European Championship will take place in 11 European cities until July 11. The continent’s strongest team will be determined at Wembley Stadium in London. The revamped Wembley Stadium will host the national team title match for the first time in history, but its predecessor once played the 1966 World Cup final and the 1996 European Championship final. Five years ago, Portugal was crowned European Champion, beating France in the final match in Paris with a score of 1: 0.
In the final tournament of the European Championship, 24 teams are divided into six subgroups of four each. The two best teams will automatically qualify for the first round or the eighth final of the elimination tournament, as well as the four best third place winners. A total of 51 games will be played in this European Championship. When there were 16 more teams in the tournament, 31 matches had to be played.
