The last match of the Monday action at the Euro 2020 tournament sees the two leading sides in Group E battling it out in Seville when the former champions Spain play host to a Sweden side who could be underrated commodities at these finals.
Technically this is the toughest match of the three in the group for both teams on paper so it will be interesting to see how they approach this one. Both sides will be pleased this is the night match as it might just ease the conditions a little.
Where to watch
The match will be shown throughout its entirety on BBC1 in the UK. The build-up to the game gets going at 7.30pm with the match itself kicking off at 8pm.
Spain
We’ve been waiting for the Spanish to enter the fray to be able to assess them with our own eyes. The reason for that is they have had some Covid-19 issues in the lead up to the tournament and you never quite know how those things affect a squad until you see them play. It clearly isn’t an ideal preparation for the tournament though and with that in mind, it might not be the biggest surprise should we see Spain a little off their best here.
There were one or two question marks over Spain without the Covid-19 issues. There is a firm belief going around that La Liga isn’t as strong as it was a few years ago and as a result of that the national team is likely to suffer. That doesn’t mean they won’t be good enough in the early stages of the competition though so it will be interesting to see what they have at their disposal. Although they are not the side they once were, when it clicks they can still be a real force.
Sweden
I’m always full of respect for Sweden. When you consider the size of their country they always seem to punch above their weight, especially in tournaments where they seem to gel really well and make themselves very hard to beat. Their record in tournaments is very good even allowing for some of the superstar players they have had over the last 20 years ago. They made the last eight of the previous World Cup which will give them some encouragement here.
There is always a feeling about this Sweden side that when they come up against the very best opposition they aren’t quite good enough so they have a chance to show that isn’t the case here, and they can do it with a little bit of freedom with this being the opening match in the group. They have enough attacking threat to pose problems for Spain but they will need to try and keep possession as much as they can else Spain could tire them out quickly.
Special Offer
Open up an 888sport account during the group stage, bet £10 to get £30 in FREE BETS + £10 FREE BET if England reach the knockout stages! Click the image below for this amazing offer! New accounts only. 18+ T&Cs apply. Gamble Responsibly.
Min deposit of £/$/€10 with promo code required – Qualifying bet of at least £/$/€10 at odds of 1/2 (1.5) or greater – Additional Free Bet credited if England reaches the “Insert Stage” of Euro 2020 – Free bets valid for 7 days – Deposit balance is available for withdrawal at any time. General withdrawal restrictions & full T&Cs apply
Team News
Spain will be without their midfielder Sergio Busquets who has been one of the players affected by Covid-19. Leeds defender Diego Llorente was another but he has been declared available. Manchester City midfielder Rodri could replace Busquets.
Sweden haven’t escaped Covid-19 issues themselves and as such they are going to be without Dejan Kulusevski and Mattias Swanberg for this match. The big decision will be who plays up front with Marcus Berg and Alexander Isak the two men expected to get the nod.
Betting
I’m not really sure what to expect from this match given the Covid-19 issues they have had but I do expect Ferran Torres to have a good tournament so I’m going to base a bet around him. He is 9/5 to have 2 or more shots on target and that feels like a decent price to me. He is likely to operate from the left of the Spanish front line and it looks like Sweden might go in with the veteran Mikael Lustig at right-back so that looks like a good matchup to me.
Torres got better the longer the season went on with Manchester City and is extremely comfortable on the ball and good in tight areas. You don’t play for City if you can’t find space in the box and can’t finish so he ticks every box going here. I suspect Sweden will sit back and let Spain have the ball so there should be opportunities for the Spanish forwards to get on top in the game and so I’ll back Torres to star in front of goal.
Tips
Back F.Torres – Over 1.5 shots on target for a 3/10 stake at 2.80 with Betfair
Back him here:
Copyright secured by Digiprove © 2021
