As the top leagues around Europe reach their culmination, excitement is starting to grow for the latest renewal of the European Championships.
The prestigious tournament is set to kick off in Germany on June 14, and England are the favourites to win the sought-after trophy in the football betting UK.
The Three Lions’ task will not be straightforward, however, with the likes of 2022 World Cup runners-up France, hosts Germany, Spain, and Portugal all in pursuit of the silverware.
The group stages are where we might get a better sense of who will be crowned the champions of Europe, and there are some exciting fixtures for sides to stamp their authority on the competition.
That said, read on as we look at some of the group stage matches you won’t want to miss in Germany this summer.
Spain vs Croatia – 15 June
The first full day of fixtures will see an enticing match-up between Spain and Croatia, with both sides needing a victory in a tough group that also features Italy and underdogs Albania.
Spain beat Croatia in the round of 16 at Euro 2020 in a thrilling showdown that ended 5-3, but their more recent Nations League final clash ended 0-0 with Spain ultimately prevailing on penalties.
La Roja’s young and dynamic squad were beaten only once and averaged over three goals a game in qualifying.
But Croatia are astute both tactically and defensively, conceding just four times in their eight qualifying games, and breaking them down will not be an easy task.
This game will be a real test for both sides as they look to start their campaign on a high note and pick up crucial points in the ‘Group of Death’.
Denmark vs England – 20 June
Another repeat from Euro 2020, England beat Denmark 2-1 after extra-time in their nervy semi-final encounter at Wembley.
Both sides will feel like they have a point to prove in Germany as they each exited the 2022 World Cup earlier than expected, with Denmark failing to get out of the groups and England going home in the quarter-finals.
This will be the first time England and Denmark have met since that semi-final in London three years ago, so they might take some time to work each other out.
The Danes will likely be the biggest threat to the Three Lions in Group C, so a victory in their opening game could set England up to finish top of the group and gather crucial momentum in the EURO 24 odds.
Spain vs Italy – 20 June
Spain and Italy have had many iconic rivalries in international football, including in this competition as La Roja trashed the Azzurri 4-0 in the final back in 2012
Again, these two sides clashed in the semi-final of Euro 2020, this time with Italy coming out on top with a 4-2 win on penalties en route to winning the entire competition.
Their last two meetings have resulted in Spain coming out on top with 2-1 wins, and La Roja will be confident they can triumph again in this high-stakes match.
Netherlands vs France – 21 June
The Netherlands and France will be more than familiar with each other as they faced off in qualifying.
The Dutch have their work cut out after suffering 4-0 and 2-1 defeats, but Les Bleus can’t get complacent because of their wins either.
France have a good chance of winning the tournament given their 2022 World Cup performance, but the Netherlands could be dark horses in Germany and a victory in this match would be a sign of their intentions.
