EURO 2020 Round of 16 Preview
The EURO 2020 knockouts get underway tomorrow (June 26th) with Wales taking on Denmark in Amsterdam. Gareth Bale’s Wales qualified through 2nd place in Group A, whilst Denmark finished 2nd in Group B. The Danes defied all odds to qualify on the final matchday, starting the day bottom of the group and needing the other result to go their way. Following the traumatic incident involving Christian Eriksen on the opening day, Denmark have earned respect from the entire world with their acts on and off the field. This unbreakable team spirit could carry them deep into the knockouts.
Denmark are the clear favourites to win in 90 minutes at 1.83, a perhaps surprisingly short price given the fact that Wales have two stars amongst their ranks in the form of Real Madrid’s Gareth Bale and Juventus’ Aaron Ramsey, on top of a solid supporting cast that includes Liverpool and Manchester United players. Wales come in at 5.25 to win, a price that could be attractive to some punters.
The second game of the opening day of knockouts is Italy vs. Austria. Italy, the tournament’s second favourites (7.00) have wowed everyone with their performances in 2020 and 2021, recording 11 clean sheets in a row, but it is perhaps their efficiency at the other end that is scaring onlooking teams. Seven goals in their three Group A games without conceding at the other end. To put that in perspective, the only other side to not have conceded in the group stages was England, who scored only two themselves.
Though Italy will be everyone’s favourites to win, this Austria team should not be taken lightly. They are riddled with top Bundesliga talent and their talisman David Alaba is playing fresh off the back of a transfer to Real Madrid. With the price of Italy to win in 90 minutes being so low at 1.44, a bet of Italy to score in both halves at 2.64 may be the most attractive option for this fixture.
There are two clear standout fixtures in the Round of 16: Belgium vs. Portugal (June 27th) and England vs. Germany (June 29th).
Excitement surrounds Belgium before every major international tournament due to their array of elite talent such as Kevin De Bruyne, Eden Hazard and Romelu Lukaku, but up until this point, they have always fallen short. There is a fear that this may well be their last chance at success with their once enviable defence reaching the back end of their careers and they’ll have to be at the top of their game to stop Cristiano Ronaldo and Portugal. Ronaldo may now be 36, but he’s showing no signs of slowing down. With five goals to his name, he is the tournament’s leading scorer. Like Belgium, it’s the defence that is Portugal’s clear weakness and for that reason, +2.5 goals may just be the play for this fixture (2.10).
England vs. Germany at Wembley is undeniably the jewel in the Round of 16 crown. Pre-tournament second favourites England have laboured through qualification, scoring just twice against hypothetically weaker opposition. Though their defensive resilience may be a cause for optimism for their fans – only Italy kept three clean sheets from three in the group stages. Germany, on the other hand, look a shadow of the once great footballing nation and could perhaps count themselves lucky to have qualified via 2nd place, having only won once and scraping to a draw against Hungary. It would take a brave punter to call a winner for this game, so perhaps the safest option is to assume it’ll be a cagey, low-scoring, affair. U2.5 goals is 1.76.
Latest Euro 2020 outright winner odds:
France – 4.50
Italy – 7.00
England – 7.50
Germany – 8.00
Spain – 8.50
Belgium – 9.00
Netherlands – 10.00