The last group to get underway in the Euro 2024 tournament will be Group F where the four sides involved will surely be itching to start their campaign by the time their opening match comes along out in Germany.
Portugal will headline this group and will be expected to dominate it but there are three other sides who will be competing hard for the one guaranteed qualifying spot but potentially another one as well.
Teams
Czechia
Previous Best: Winner 1976
How Qualified: Runner Up Group E
Qualifying Record: P8 W4 D3 L1 F12 A6 GD+6 Pts 15
Tournament Odds: 150/1 General
The Czech Republic, or Czechia as they want to be known, famously made the final of Euro 96 as huge outsiders and they are in the same position this time around as well. They had an acceptable qualifying campaign in that they made it through without the need of a playoff but it was one of the weaker sections. They have landed themselves in a comfortable group behind Portugal and if they can find some goals then there is no reason why they can’t put up a challenge to come out of the group, whether in second spot or as the best third placed side. 12 goals in eight qualifying games paints a picture though.
Squad: Goalkeepers: Vítězslav Jaroš (Sturm Graz), Matěj Kovář (Leverkusen) Jindřich Staněk (Slavia Praha)
Defenders: Vladimír Coufal (West Ham), David Douděra (Slavia Praha), Robin Hranáč (Viktoria Plzeň), David Jurásek (Hoffenheim), Ladislav Krejčí (Sparta Praha), Martin Vitík (Sparta Praha), Tomáš Vlček (Slavia Praha), David Zima (Slavia Praha)
Midfielders: Antonín Barák (Fiorentina), Lukáš Červ (Viktoria Plzeň), Tomáš Holeš (Slavia Praha), Matěj Jurásek (Slavia Praha), Ondřej Lingr (Feyenoord), Lukáš Provod (Slavia Praha), Petr Ševčík (Slavia Praha), Tomáš Souček (West Ham), Pavel Šulc (Viktoria Plzeň)
Forwards: Václav Černý (Wolfsburg), Tomáš Chorý (Viktoria Plzeň), Mojmír Chytil (Slavia Praha), Adam Hložek (Leverkusen), Jan Kuchta (Sparta Praha), Patrik Schick (Leverkusen)
Georgia
Previous Best: Debutants
How Qualified: Playoff winner
Qualifying Record: P10 W3 D3 L4 F14 A18 GD-4 Pts 12
Tournament Odds: 750/1 BetVictor
Georgia took advantage of the UEFA Nations League route into the playoffs to come through and make their debut at the European Championships. Getting here was a huge achievement in itself but they won’t want to just make up the numbers. They will want to show that they are an improving nation and if their poster boy, Napoli forward Khvicha Kvaratskhelia can lead them how he did in qualifying then they might cause a shock somewhere. A best third placed position would be a wonderful achievement for a nation that lacks experience at this level.
Squad: Goalkeepers: Luka Gugeshashvili (Qarabağ), Giorgi Loria (Dinamo Tbilisi), Giorgi Mamardashvili (Valencia)
Defenders: Lasha Dvali (APOEL), Giorgi Gocholeishvili (Shakhtar Donetsk), Giorgi Gvelesiani (Persepolis), Otar Kakabadze (Cracovia), Guram Kashia (Slovan Bratislava), Solomon Kverkvelia (Al-Okhdood), Luka Lochoshvili (Cremonese), Jemal Tabidze (Panetolikos)
Midfielders: Sandro Altunashvili (Wolfsberger), Giorgi Chakvetadze (Watford), Zuriko Davitashvili (Bordeaux), Otar Kiteishvili (Sturm Graz), Giorgi Kochorashvili (Levante), Nika Kvekveskiri (Lech Poznań), Saba Lobjanidze (Atlanta United), Anzor Mekvabishvili (Universitatea Craiova), Gabriel Sigua (Basel), Levan Shengelia (Panetolikos), Giorgi Tsitaishvili (Dinamo Batumi)
Forwards: Khvicha Kvaratskhelia (Napoli), Giorgi Kvilitaia (APOEL), Georges Mikautadze (Metz), Budu Zivzivadze (Karlsruhe)
Portugal
Previous Best: Winner 2016
How Qualified: Group J Winner
Qualifying Record: P10 W10 D0 L0 F36 A2 GD+34 Pts 30
Tournament Odds: 13/2 General
The 2016 champions Portugal put together the perfect qualifying campaign which has shot them up the betting market and to the attention of many who are looking for the outright winner of this tournament. This Portugal side has attacking options to die for and an inner motivation to send Cristiano Ronaldo off from tournament football on a high. They weren’t troubled defensively in qualifying but if the defence can stand up to the scrutiny it will face here then it is hard to see Portugal not launching a major assault on this title.
Squad: Goalkeepers: Diogo Costa (Porto), Rui Patrício (Roma), José Sá (Wolves)
Defenders: João Cancelo (Barcelona), Diogo Dalot (Manchester United), Rúben Dias (Manchester City), Gonçalo Inácio (Sporting CP), Nuno Mendes (Paris), Pepe (Porto), Nélson Semedo (Wolves), António Silva (Benfica)
Midfielders: Danilo (Paris), Bruno Fernandes (Manchester United), Pedro Neto (Wolves), João Neves (Benfica), Rúben Neves (Al-Hilal), Matheus Nunes (Manchester City), João Palhinha (Fulham), Bernardo Silva (Manchester City), Vitinha (Paris)
Forwards: Francisco Conceição (Porto), João Félix (Barcelona), Diogo Jota (Liverpool), Rafael Leão (AC Milan), Gonçalo Ramos (Paris), Cristiano Ronaldo (Al-Nassr)
Turkey
Previous Best: SF 2008
How Qualified: Group D Winner
Qualifying Record: P8 W5 D2 L1 F14 A7 GD+7 Pts 17
Tournament Odds: 80/1
Turkey have been to the last two Euros but they have only won one of their six matches when they have got there but having come through qualifying on top of a group which included Croatia and Wales there is a little more optimism around them this time. Turkey are an aggressive side who go after teams and have the attacking talent to trouble most teams, certainly in this group if not the competition, but the concern would be whether they get opened up a little easily. Turkish football will get plenty of attention in the coming months now that Jose Mourinho has pitched up in the country so these players have a chance to shine here.
Squad: Goalkeepers: Altay Bayındır (Manchester United), Mert Günok (Beşiktaş), Uğurcan Çakır (Trabzonspor)
Defenders: Samet Akaydin (Panathinaikos), Abdülkerim Bardakcı (Galatasaray), Zeki Çelik (Roma), Merih Demiral (Al-Ahli), Ferdi Kadıoğlu (Fenerbahçe), Ahmetcan Kaplan (Ajax), Mert Müldür (Fenerbahçe)
Midfielders: Hakan Çalhanoğlu (Inter), İsmail Yüksek (Fenerbahçe), Kaan Ayhan (Galatasaray), Okay Yokuşlu (West Brom), Orkun Kökçü (Benfica), Salih Özcan (Dortmund)
Forwards: Yunus Akgün (Leicester), Kerem Aktürkoğlu (Galatasaray), Arda Güler (Real Madrid), İrfan Can Kahveci (Fenerbahçe), Semih Kılıçsoy (Beşiktaş), Cenk Tosun (Beşiktaş), Yusuf Yazıcı (Lille), Bertuğ Yıldırım (Rennes), Kenan Yıldız (Juventus), Barış Alper Yılmaz (Galatasaray)
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Group Betting
I really like the look of this group with four teams who are all going to offer something to the party in attack but probably not have the ability to keep the attacking players at bay and as a result of that I really like this one to be the highest scoring group of the six. In a way you could say this is all about Portugal but having scored 36 goals in qualifying that isn’t a problem. Their depth is so deep that they could rest their starting front three and the backup be just as good so even if they have the group won in the opening two games Georgia could still take a hiding in the last one.
Turkey have shown themselves to be relatively free scoring, or at least have the chances to be that while Czechia boast the joint leading scorer from the competition three years ago in their midst in Patrik Schick. I don’t see Georgia coming here looking to shut up shop either so I do see goals coming readily here. There is no standout defence with the exception of Portugal who could make up for the goals they don’t concede with the ones they score and as the last group to finish the last games might go crazy. At 4/1 this to be the highest scoring group looks good to me.
Team Betting
There isn’t too much which stands out to me in terms of the teams in this group but the 6/5 on Turkey to be eliminated in the round of 16 has enough juice in it to reel me in. The first thing about that is I do expect Turkey to qualify, whether that is in second or third place in the group. I think they’re better than Georgia and given that they face the Czechs in their last game and they are in the last group to finish they should be in a position to control their destiny.
If they come second in this group there is a good chance that they are going to run straight into France in the round of 16 and while I like Turkey I can’t say that I like them that much. If they come third they go straight into a clash with potentially England or Spain and I don’t see them winning either of those games either. I don’t see them topping a group which Portugal in it so the round of 16 looks a likely exit stage for them.
Tips
Back Group F – Highest scoring group for a 2/10 stake at 5.00 with Sky Bet
Back Turkey to be eliminated in the round of 16 for a 3/10 stake at 2.20 with BetVictor
