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Today's Euros Tips: Spirited Belgium end Ronaldo's reign

Charlie Mullan
28 June 2021
06:00 min read

Thorgan Hazard's goal brought an end to Portugal reign as European champions

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The holders are out, with Belgium inflicting a 1-0 defeat on Portugal to make the quarter-finals alongside the Czech Republic. What drama will unfold today? Here's how the markets are looking...

"Beaten in the semi-finals of the World Cup three years ago, this is a great chance for the Red Devils to win their first major trophy. After beating the holders, Roberto Martinez's side can be backed at a very generous 9.08/1 to win Euro 2020 on July 11"

Hazard junior upstages elder brother

In a battle between the world's number one ranked team and the defending champions, it was the holders that were eliminated at the first knockout round as Belgium beat Portugal 1-0 in Seville. Thorgan Hazard stole the limelight from his brother and skipper Eden with the only goal of the game just before half-time.

It was a tough game, however, and Portugal's 23 shots at goal without scoring is the most of any team in Euro 2020.

Ranked the best team in the world for the last three years, this Belgian side continues to grow in strength and the only thing missing from their dominance is a major trophy. Beaten in the semi-finals of the 2018 World Cup, this is a chance for the Red Devils to win their first major trophy. Roberto Martinez's side can be backed at a very generous 9.08/1 to win Euro 2020.

Those long odds will be linked to the possible absences of Eden Hazard and Kevin de Bruyne. Watching de Bruyne limp out of the game - and possibly the tournament - two minutes into the second half will be a concern not just for everyone associated with Belgium, but for those who backed him to be named player of the tournament. De Bruyne was 16/1 to win the personal accolade before he came off the bench at half-time against Denmark. He can now be backed at 11.010/1.

Cristiano Ronaldo leads the race to be top goalscorer, but he leaves the tournament as the clubhouse leader on five, and like a nervous golfer, the 36-year-old will be watching the remaining action unfold to see if he can be caught. CR7 is current 2.767/4 to end the tournament as the leading scorer. Czech Patrik Schick is just one goal behind Ronaldo.

Romelu Lukaku is one of the players in the pack chasing down Ronaldo. He remains two behind the Portuguese skipper after drawing a blank against the Portuguese, but he is 7.87/1 to usurp the joint leading scorer in international football.

The Czechs cash in as the Dutch check out

Whether we can call the Czech Republic beating the Netherlands a shock result or not, it's blown that side of the Euro 2020 draw wide open. The Czechs, with Schick scoring for fun, stay alive and at 36.035/1 on the exchange, they are one of the outsiders to win Euro 2020. But, playing like this, they will be hard to beat regardless of the opposition.

Patrik Schick - 1280.jpg

The Czechs now face Denmark in the quarter-finals in a game that both sides will feel they can win. The early betting has Denmark as slight favourites at 11/10 while the Czech Republic are 11/4 with the draw 21/10.

Matthjis de Ligt's red card was the Netherlands' fourth in their Euros history. Oddly, two have come against Czechoslovakia and two have come against the Czech Republic.

The Round of 16 tie in Budapest hinged on de Ligt's red card early in the second half. But before then, the Czechs gave as good as they got. With an extra man advantage, the Czech Republic took their chances to secure a famous win. The Dutch fell for the old Czech one-two.

Tomas Holes opened the scoring before Patrik Schick enhanced his growing reputation and his fourth goal of the tournament will add value to any future transfer fees if he fancies a big move away from Bayer Leverkusen in the Bundesliga. Schick can be backed at 7.06/1 to win the Golden Boot award.

As for the Dutch, it's back to the drawing board. Yet again a fourth perfect record in the group stage in their last five tournaments counts for nothing. Georginio Wijnaldum, their leader in midfield completed just 10 passes against the Czechs who hustled and harried their opponents at every opportunity. For the first time since records were kept in 1980, the Dutch failed to have a shot on target in a major tournament match.

Spain look to win their critics over

This may not be the stylish Spanish of 2008 and 2012, but this crop of players know how to get through a tournament. Back-to-back draws to start the tournament allowed their odds to drift from 7/1 on the eve of the tournament to 10/1 on Monday and back in to 15/2 now.

If Spain's tournament is to continue to the quarter-finals and beyond, they are going to have to get past Croatia, who finished second in Group D on goal difference. Croatia seem to be using the fact pundits think they are too old as motivation to do well this summer.

Croatia stat 280621.png

Luka Modric reminded everyone of his talent with a superb goal against Scotland with the outside of his right foot. However, Croatia's hopes of winning this game have been dealt a major blow with the loss of Ivan Perisic who tested positive for Covid.

Croatia, who suffered their heaviest defeat to Spain in a 6-0 loss in September 2018, are 11/2 to beat Spain while the Spaniards can be backed at 1.654/6 on the exchange to beat Croatia and keep alive their chances of winning their third European title in four attempts.

Modric, who scored and had an assist against the Scots, is 5/1 to be an anytime scorer and he 7/1 to provide an assist during the 90 minutes. Spain's Pablo Sarabia had an assist and scored Spain's third goal in their 5-0 win over Slovakia. The Paris St-Germain forward is 4/1 to have an assist against Croatia and 21/10 to find the back of the net at any time.

Read Mark O'Haire's preview and tips for Spain v Croatia here

France prepared to halt Swiss roll

There's a feeling that pre-tournament favourites France are waiting to come alive in this tournament. They came through the Group of Death in top spot and now that the tournament is sudden death, we can expect to see the French improve. Switzerland will be a tough nut to crack, but if France remain patient, they should have a quarter-final match with either Spain or Croatia to prepare for.

Didier Deschamps - 1280.jpg

However, as Italy almost discovered to their detriment, they cannot afford to switch off at the back and give the Swiss opportunities to take the lead. VAR rescued Italy otherwise we could have seen a different outcome at Wembley on Saturday night.

Four of the last five meetings between France and Switzerland have ended goalless including a 0-0 draw at Euro 2016.

Apart from a 5-2 French win in 2014, past meetings between these two sides have been close encounters, and with a place in the last eight up for grabs this could well be another draw with extra-time a possibility. The Swiss may have finished third in their group, but they are here on merit.

There have been 15 goals scored from outside the box so far this tournament and Xherdan Shaqiri has scored two of them. Shaqiri averages three shots per game and he is 6/4 to have three shots or more against the French. He's also 6/1 to be an anytime scorer.

We have yet to see a goal scored from a direct free kick in this tournament. Could this be the game in which that sequence is broke? France have a few players capable of scoring directly from a free kick. Antoine Griezmann is one such player and he is 14/1 to score from outside the box while team-mate Kylian Mbappe is 25/1 to score from long range.

France remain favourites to win the Euros and they can be backed at 5.39/2 on the exchange. The Swiss are the highest priced nation left in the competition at 100/1.

Read James Eastham's preview and tips for France v Switzerland here

Team selection crucial for England's hopes

As we draw ever closer to the latest chapter in the rivalry between England and Germany, Gareth Southgate will have no shortage of advice as to who he should name in his starting XI. Get it right and Southgate will be called a genius. Get it wrong and negotiations about a contract extension with the FA might end quickly.

Who would have thought that on day 18 of Euro 2020, we'd be talking about Harry Kane and his failure to score in the group stage. Southgate won't care who scores, just as long as somebody scores the goals to take the Three Lions through to a quarter-final showdown with either Sweden or Ukraine. England are a 6.411/2 option on the exchange to win Euro 2020.

Kane has not had the best service in the tournament so far, Buyako Saka's performance provided a spark in an England team that struggled to carve out chances in their opening two matches.

A few more performances by Saka will certainly help the Three Lions progress and will shorten the 19-year-old's odds to be named young player of the tournament which currently stand at 23.022/1 on the exchange.

Sako was heavily involved in England's goal to beat the Czech Republic on Tuesday which was scored by Raheem Sterling. Sterling has accounted for both of England's goals in the Euros Sterling has his work cut out to be the top scorer at Euro 2020, but as he showed by scoring a hat-trick against the Czechs at Wembley in March 2019, Sterling is capable of scoring multiple goals. He can be backed at 30.029/1 to lead the tournament in goals.

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