The Netherlands desperate to make up for lost time
The Netherlands has always been regarded as one of Europe’s heavyweights, and they have always brought joy to the game. One thing that was conspicuous from Euro 2016 was that the Dutch failed to qualify. Rewind a further four years back, and they were ingloriously shovelled out at the group stages.
But things may seem different now. There is a vibrancy about the Netherlands’ style of play, and the current squad combines youth with experience. The midfield, for example, contains Georginio Wijnaldum, who is fantastic at breaking up play, while Frenkie de Jong is never afraid to put a shift in.
Frank de Boer’s charges will be confident of getting their Group C campaign off to a flyer with a win against Ukraine. While they are strong favourites to top the group, they are currently 14/1 or 15.0 to win Euro 2020 which appears to be a tempting price.
Ukraine can push the Netherlands hard
While the Netherlands are the heavy favourites to qualify for the last 16 as Group C winners, they could face some competition from Ukraine. Andriy Shevchenko, who is seen as something of a national hero, is tasked with trying to deliver some big performances, and their opening game is against the Netherlands. If Ukraine can get a result, that will set them up nicely.
Ukraine has some dynamism in their squad, with Manchester City left-back Oleksandr Zinchenko able to make marauding runs down the wing. Whereas West Ham striker Andriy Yarmolenko provides an aerial threat up front, and he could put Austria and North Macedonia to the sword.
Ukraine is currently 21/20 or 6.50 to punch their ticket to the last 16, but as mentioned, a strong start is imperative.
Austria may be a bit overvalued
For a country that hasn’t got a fine track record at the European Championships, it may seem like that there is a bit too much hype surrounding Austria. They made a bit of an ordeal of qualifying for the tournament, with a 4-2 defeat against Israel the nadir of their campaign.
However, with Marko Arnautovic, Austria has a player who will be confident of delivering on the big stage. He will certainly need to stand up and be counted! Austria’s opening group game is against North Macedonia, and they should have enough to overpower them.
But against the Netherlands and Ukraine, these two sides could be a bridge too far. Austria is currently a short 9/10 or 5.0 to reach the last 16, but the price seems to be a bit overinflated, and they could well end up heading home early.
North Macedonia are an unknown quantity
North Macedonia will be taking their bow at Euro 2020, but frankly, we don’t really know what to expect of them. For them, it is uncharted territory, but they will no doubt enjoy the ride!
Veteran forward Goran Pandev will be hoping to guide his side past the group stages. The 37-year-old is the country’s most capped player, and his experience will be key. Austria will be a tough starter, and with the Netherlands following after, North Macedonia’s stay at Euro 2020 may well be short-lived.
However, they could be a breath of fresh air, and while little is expected of them, it will be fascinating to see how their first European Championship outing pans out.
