We have gone through the main outright markets ahead of Euro 2020 kicking off in Rome on Friday evening but all six groups have been priced up in full with 10-12 markets for each of them so it would be wrong of us not to have a look through each section to see if we can pick out some more bets.
Group A
Teams: Italy, Switzerland, Turkey and Wales
Host Cities: Rome and Baku
Group A looks a pretty straight forward section to me in that I fully expect Italy to win it. I think they are stronger than the other three sides in it anyway and home advantage further tips the balance of the scales in their favour. The big questions are who will come second to them and who will finish bottom.
My gut feel is that Turkey will be the ones to run them closest but I wouldn’t really want to put much on that at around 9/4. That feels a fair price to me. The one that does interest me here is for Switzerland to finish last. I have this between Wales and Switzerland and as luck would have it they meet in the opening match. Were Wales to get something from that Switzerland then meet Italy in their second match and lose that and they could be out of things before they’ve got going. A lack of goals always concerns me about a Swiss side and it only needs a piece of magic from Gareth Bale or someone and Switzerland could be packing their bags early doors. 3/1 they finish bottom feels good to me.
Group B
Teams: Belgium, Denmark, Finland and Russia
Host Cities: Copenhagen and St Petersburg
Group B looks to be all about Belgium on paper and the odds on quotes about them winning the group are probably fair. They played Russia in qualifying for this and beat them 4-1 on both occasions and they met Denmark in the Nations League earlier in the campaign and won 2-0 and 4-2 on that occasion. I can’t believe Finland will cause them anymore trouble either.
I’m less comfortable taking 10/11 on a side who might be through but not necessarily have the group wrapped up before the final game. I’m not for one minute suggesting that Finland would beat Belgium but if Belgium have six points and play the squad players to get minutes into them all sorts of things can happen in that scenario. I expect Denmark to be their closest challengers but I’ve got enough interest in them so I’m happy to leave this group alone.
Group C
Teams: Austria, North Macedonia, Netherlands and Ukraine
Host Cities: Amsterdam and Bucharest
Group C is the first of the groups where I can see a little bit of open space in terms of a weak favourite. I’m not convinced about this Dutch side. I get there is talent there but van Dijk is a huge loss to the team and the coach just is not someone I want my money on. He has plenty of questions hanging over him and I wouldn’t be at all surprised if they have a terrible campaign. The only thing I can see going for them is home advantage but even that won’t be great if they stink the place out enough for the crowd to turn on them.
I’m taking the Netherlands on here and I’ll do it with Ukraine. I watched Austria in a recent warm up game against England and they looked a bit of a mess to me. Their tournament record doesn’t inspire me either. I hope North Macedonia give a good account of themselves but anything other than bottom place is an achievement for them. Ukraine look the obvious closest challengers to the Netherlands. This is a side who qualified above Portugal for this tournament and have held France in World Cup qualifying too. I think there is enough progression in this Ukraine side to make enough of an impression here. Ukraine meet the Dutch in their opening match. If they can get something out of that, particularly if it is a win, the group might be theirs for the taking.
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Group D
Teams: Croatia, Czech Republic, England and Scotland
Host Cities: London and Glasgow
Home eyes will be on Group D where England are emphatic favourites to win the group. I think most English football fans and judges expect Gareth Southgate’s men to win the group, especially with the carrot of a first knockout stage match at Wembley the prize for doing so but at quotes of 1/2 I’m happy to let them win the section.
That leaves us with Croatia, Czech Republic and Scotland to see if there is anything doing with bets on them. I’ve already stated I fancy the Czechs might surprise a few but not having home advantage in two of the three matches is a concern to me. Scotland do have that home advantage in two games but I sense that England game could be bigger for them than anything else. Croatia don’t look the side that made the World Cup final in 2018 so I don’t really fancy anything else in this group.
Group E
Teams: Poland, Slovakia, Spain and Sweden
Host Cities: Seville and St Petersburg
If you go back through tournament previews of the past it would be an automatic pick that Spain would win their group. I still think that will happen but the Covid-19 issues they are encountering is making me doubt just how much of a good thing they are and whether it is worth taking them on. Logic says they have to be taken on really especially with two competent sides on paper opposing them.
Sweden might have landed the plum draw here as they get the Spanish first up and if there are concerns in the Spanish camp you would think they could come in that first game. I would prefer Sweden over Poland, not just for that reason but also because they deliver in tournaments better than Poland have done, and I’m not sure this tournament fits in best for their transition under Paulo Sousa either. Slovakia might make themselves hard to beat but they look limited opposition so I’ll have a small poke that the Swedes prey on a wounded Spain.
Group F
Teams: France, Germany, Hungary and Portugal
Host Cities: Munich and Budapest
We have to wait until the final group of the draw for the ‘Group of Death’ and what a section it is with the world champions France, reigning European champions Portugal and the World Cup winners prior to France in Germany all in it. Poor old Hungary must be wondering what they did to land up in this group but at least their players will be involved in some fantastic matches.
I’m not in the habit of predicting results between three of the better nations in the world. I don’t think this Germany side is as good as ones in the past but it being Joachim Low’s final swansong and home advantage throughout the groups could inspire them. France look the best side of the three to me but can we really take on Cristiano Ronaldo and this talented Portugal side? The good thing is we don’t have to. We can just sit back and enjoy the excellent football this group is sure to provide us with.
Tips
Back Switzerland to finish bottom of Group A for a 2/10 stake at 4.00 with Betway
Back Ukraine to win Group C for a 1/10 stake at 6.00 with William Hill
Back them here:
Back Sweden to win Group E for a 1/10 stake at 7.50 with Betfred
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