2020 European Championship Group A Predictions

[StevieDay1983]

This will be where you can find all previews and discussion surrounding Group A in the 2020 European Championship. Give us any tips or bets you have for the matches in the group down below! 

[StevieDay1983]

[StevieDay1983]

[StevieDay1983]

Not long to go now until the first game for Wales in this group. It's 5 years now since our incredible run to the semi-finals at the 2016 European Championship. I actually think we have a more talented squad now but we have a much more difficult group. Italy are, in my opinion, one of the favourites along with France, Portugal, and England to win the tournament. Turkey boast one of the best defensive records in international football right now. Switzerland are always a tricky opponent at the best of times as well.

I think that opening game against Switzerland is key for Wales. If we can somehow scrape a win then we stand every chance of carrying that momentum into the game with Turkey and grinding out a draw there. Qualification is certainly achievable in this group for the Dragons but a lot will depend on that opening game. I'm also hoping we can see the rare event of Aaron Ramsey, David Brooks, Joe Allen, and Gareth Bale all being fit for Wales at the same time. The last time they all played together we destroyed Republic of Ireland in what was one of the most stunning attacking displays I've ever seen in a Wales squad.

[StevieDay1983]

Turkey vs Italy

The 2020 European Championship kicks off on Friday night when Turkey play Italy in Group A at 8pm BST from the Stadio Olimpico in Rome. It's a very unique tournament with no official host nation but this game will see the Italians play on their home turf. Can a team that are being touted as potential dark horses by a few people spring a shock opening day result on their host opponents?

Turkey are a nation I feel have the ability to rattle some cages in this tournament. Head coach Senol Gunes has built a team that have become very tough to beat. In his first stint as head coach of the national team he led them to the semi-finals of the 2002 World Cup. As I mentioned in the outright winners thread, they are unbeaten in 6 matches and have lost just 1 of their last 13 games. A number of standout results over the past year or so include beating Norway 3-0, defeating Netherlands 4-2, and earning a 3-2 win over Russia. One other key indicator of how resilient this Turkish side is comes from the fact that since the start of 2020 they've also avoided defeats against the likes of Serbia, Germany, and Croatia. If the back-line can perform at its best and they can give the service to talisman Burak Yilmaz then this Turkey side will go toe-to-toe with any opposition.

Italy come into this tournament being tipped by many to be in the final reckoning. As a host nation, they will play all their group games on home territory but with fan numbers restricted it'll be interesting to see how much of an advantage they gain from that. Head coach Roberto Mancini has got the Azzurri playing very efficiently at the moment. It's now 8 games won in a row with 8 clean sheets achieved during that run. They stormed to the top of their UEFA Nations League group to set up a semi-final tie with Spain in October. They are also on course to qualify for the 2022 World Cup after 3 wins from their first 3 qualification group matches. It might have been 15 years now since Italy last won a major tournament after their 2006 World Cup win but you get the feeling that with this resolute defence, a well-balanced midfield including Marco Verratti and Nicolo Barella with the potency of Ciro Immobile up top there is quality right through this side.

I think this opening game will be a tense affair. I genuinely feel that neither side will want to lose and even though Italy will be the favourites I think they know that Turkey could be their toughest opponent in this group so a draw wouldn't be a disaster. It goes without saying that Turkey will also feel they should pick up a win against either Switzerland or Wales so a point here would be a dream. I'm torn between backing a dour 0-0 draw or backing Italy to sneak a narrow 1-0 win. I think I'll go for the latter but it's going to be a tight game.

Italy to Win to Nil @ 2.17 with Sporting Index

Total Goals Scored Under 2.5 @ 1.70 with Boylesports

[StevieDay1983]

Wales vs Switzerland

OK, before I write this preview I want to put a disclaimer. As a Welshman, I have this understandable pessimism and superstitious having suffered from disappointment and failure down the years. So out of all my predictions it will probably be the Wales matches that are the least trustworthy!  Anyway, here we go! It's Wales versus Switzerland in a 2pm BST kick-off this Saturday at the Olympic Stadium in Baku, Azerbaijan.

Wales head into this European Championship dreaming of re-creating the historic achievements of the 2016 tournament when they reached the semi-finals. 5 years on and the preparations for this campaign have been slightly less settled with the ongoing court case against head coach Ryan Giggs meaning caretaker gaffer Robert Page has been asked to take the reigns. Injury concerns over key players Aaron Ramsey and Ben Davies have also meant the team have been unable to field their full strength squad until recently. The Dragons face a tough challenge getting out of this group but have every reason to be confident having qualified for League A in the UEFA Nations League and enjoying an encouraging start to their 2022 World Cup qualification campaign. Results may have suffered from a lack of consistency but the disciplined displays have continued.

Switzerland are now one of those nations that know how to qualify for major tournaments. The Swiss have now qualified for the last 4 World Cup tournaments and 4 of the last 5 European Championships. Head coach Vladimir Petkovic remains in charge of the nation he has managed since 2014. In 2016, they reached the last 16 but were eliminated having not suffering a defeat in regular time during that tournament. The Red Crosses have won their last 6 games including the 3-0 walkover against Ukraine in the UEFA Nations League. However, before that run of wins it had been 7 matches without a win so there are still some questions remaining about how far the team can go in this tournament given the opposition in their recent run of victories haven't exactly been top ranked sides with their opponents including Liechtenstein, Lithuania, and Bulgaria. There is no denying this Switzerland squad still boasts experience and quality with the likes of Yann Sommer, Ricardo Rodriguez, Fabian Schar, Granit Xhaka, Xherdan Shaqiri, Haris Seferovic, and Mario Gavranovic but does Petkovic still have the ideas and influence to get the best out of these players.

If Wales are going to win a group game at this tournament then it's going to be against Switzerland. This fixture feels a lot like the 2016 opener against Slovakia where the result here will undoubtedly dictate what sort of tournament we have. If we win then I feel it could give us the confidence and self belief to get something against Turkey. If we lose or draw then I think we're facing an uphill battle. My heart says I think we can beat this Switzerland side that has probably passed its peak under Petkovic. They remain a very dangerous and tournament experienced side. However, we have players in Gareth Bale, Aaron Ramsey, David Brooks, and Daniel James that have repeatedly delivered when it matters on the international stage. There is very little separating these two teams. My heart believes Wales can win. My head thinks that it could well be a draw and if Page gets anything tactically wrong like not starting Kieffer Moore up front then we could suffer a defeat. I think I'll even go as far as to say I'll tell you if I think we'll get something from the game or not based on his starting line-up. If Moore starts, we could do it. If Moore begins the game on the bench then we're going to struggle.

Draw @ 3.15 with SBK

Total Goals Scored Over 1.5 @ 1.62 with SportNation

[harry_rag]

2 hours ago, StevieDay1983 said:

Italy to Win to Nil @ 2.17 with Sporting Index

Total Goals Scored Under 2.5 @ 1.70 with Boylesports

I'm finding this hard to call. Traditionally, the opening round of tournament group games tend to be tight, cautious and low scoring but Turkey's games have been high scoring of late, with a reliance on attack over defence. I find myself thinking along Italy win and <2.5 lines then I think one stray spark and this could turn into a 4-3 either way game! 

I'm very much taking the line that there's no need to have a "proper" bet on every game, especially with the extent of my antepost interests, so this may be one where I make do with my "fun fiver".

The thing that's appealing most at the moment is a sell of time of 1st Turkey goal at 69 with SX. Obviously that needs the "stray spark" scenario to play out.

I'm certainly looking forward to enjoying this one with a beer and a pizza. It's been a long wait for the action to start!

[StevieDay1983]

Yes, I can certainly see your point of view. International tournaments these days tend to be slightly more exciting than they used to be. Thinking back to the 2014 World Cup and the 2016 European Championship in particular. It's been an extraordinary year that will undoubtedly leave players more fatigued than usual so I wonder if that could mean we see a more conservative tournament packed with tired legs.

[FaNaTiK]

Italy vs Turkey

Personally I do not agree with bookies who suggest Turkey is such a huge underdog with coefficients for their win reaching 8.00 this morning. They managed not to lose against France and Germany in past two years which is a serious accomplishment. I am not saying Turkey will win tomorrow, but I expect very cautious game from both sides and feel like difference between those teams is not as big as it is indicated. Italy is a very solid team, without any superstars, but they made excellent qualification campaign together with impressive recent form. They usually start slowly at big tournaments. Therefore, it should be either very narrow win for Italy or a bore draw. Unable to decide between both options, I will go for safer bet and back under 2.5 goals. 

Total Goals Scored Under 2.5 - 1.64 @188bet

 

[StevieDay1983]

7 hours ago, FaNaTiK said:

Italy vs Turkey

Personally I do not agree with bookies who suggest Turkey is such a huge underdog with coefficients for their win reaching 8.00 this morning. They managed not to lose against France and Germany in past two years which is a serious accomplishment. I am not saying Turkey will win tomorrow, but I expect very cautious game from both sides and feel like difference between those teams is not as big as it is indicated. Italy is a very solid team, without any superstars, but they made excellent qualification campaign together with impressive recent form. They usually start slowly at big tournaments. Therefore, it should be either very narrow win for Italy or a bore draw. Unable to decide between both options, I will go for safer bet and back under 2.5 goals. 

Total Goals Scored Under 2.5 - 1.64 @188bet

 

Yeah, definitely agree with that mate. The closer the game is getting the more I'm wondering if it'll be worth a Turkey Draw No Bet! My nerves are gone already! Wheel me out of here! 

[StefanBB]

Turkey vs Italy

EURO 2020 is about to kick off on Friday evening, one year later than initially scheduled. Turkey heads to this tournament after a series of matches without a defeat. They missed the chance to win only twice on the previous six occasions, managing to keep the clean sheet twice in a row. Senol Gunes’s side started the World Cup Quals by picking up seven points from three matches, and they managed to beat the Netherlands and Norway. They have a talented backline that kept its net intact against Guinea and Moldavia in the final preps for this tournament. However, Italy is a much stronger opponent, and they will be put on a more severe test. Burak Yilmaz and the lads aim for continuing the unbeatable streak and a place in the knockout round.

Italy’s winning streak seems scary for their opponents, as the Azzurri celebrated eight times in a row. They have been perfect at the start of the World Cup Quals, securing the maximum nine points from the opening three rounds. Gianluigi Donnarumma managed to keep his net intact eight times in a row, while Ciro Immobile and the lads produced 11 goals in the last two matches. A convincing victory against San Marino is not a surprise, but Italy was very confident against the Czech Republic in a 4:0 win. Azzurri want to go far in this tournament, and they want to pick up where they left off. We will see if they can continue with great displays on the main stage as well.

Full-Time Winner Odds & Prediction

Italy is a favorite in this clash, Azzurri will play this game in front of the home fans, and we believe they could continue the winning streak. Therefore, Italy should pick up all three points from this game.

Goals Market Prediction

Azzurri have been excellent in the back recently, however, Turkey failed to score only once in 2021. Neither team managed to keep the clean sheet in their latest three encounters, and we think Turkey might unlock Italy’s door.

Italy to Win @ 1.50 

BTTS Yes @ 2.40 

Correct score 1:2 @ 9.00

[peanut peanut]

2-1 Turkey @ 28/1 hill

1-2 Italy @ 17/2 hill

My bets for a bit of entertainment tonight. Good luck all 

[newjack]

I really love what @StefanBB wrote. Turkey in my opinion is gonna be a tough nut to crack and they do prefer offense vs defense. On the other hand Italy is no longer "get goal park the bus" kind of a team and is quite efficient in front of a goal. Only problem is they don't concede much. Given the fact that this is the opener I'm really leaning on overs. I do believe the Italy will win as they're the "dark horse" of the tournament but Turkey won't go down without a fight.

Turkey on avg scores 2.2 goals and concedes 1.5, BTTS occured 60% of the time while failing to score 20% of the time and kept a clean sheet 30% of the time in the last 10 matches.

Italy scores on avg 2,6 goals but concedes 0,1. They failed to score 10% of the time but managed to keep CS 90% of the time in last 10 matches.

The odds on Over 2,5 are at 2,3 and probability for o2,5 is at 50%. Prediction is 1:2 in favor of Italy.

 

 

[harry_rag]

On 6/9/2021 at 12:39 PM, harry_rag said:

I'm very much taking the line that there's no need to have a "proper" bet on every game, especially with the extent of my antepost interests, so this may be one where I make do with my "fun fiver".

Been on a trawl and found something that I think is suitable for a “proper” bet on the curtain raiser. 20 points on a header to be scored at 2/1 with Hills. 11/8 elsewhere which is a typical price in a typical game (could be longer or shorter where an unusually low or high goals expectation applies). Spreads expect about 24 in the 51 tournament games. 2/1 probably too big in any single game.

[StefanBB]

Wales vs Switzerland

Although they are not drawn in a too harsh group, Wales is still considered an underdog in Group A. The Dragons head to this tournament without their head coach, Ryan Giggs, after the former Manchester United star was charged with assaulting two women. Robert Page will be at the helm as the caretaker, while Gareth Bale will lead the team on the pitch. Wales opened the World Cup Quals with an expected 3:1 defeat away to Belgium, but they booked a narrow 1:0 victory over the Czech Republic. The Dragons will focus on the battle for the 2^nd spot there, and they have already celebrated against their direct rivals. However, Wales failed to score in the build-up for EURO 2020, as they lost to France 3:0 and boked a goalless draw against Albania. If they want to progress to the knockout stage, they should secure at least a point from this game.

Switzerland enjoys a victorious streak ahead of the tournament, as they booked five straight wins. They have a perfect score after the opening two rounds in the World Cup Quals, but the most significant challenges are yet to come. Vladimir Petkovic’s side managed to beat Finland at the end of March, while they were better than the United States and Liechtenstein ahead of Euro 2020. Haris Seferovic and the lads eye a place in the top two and a ticket for the knockout stage. As Italy is the hottest favorite in Group A, we expect Switzerland to fight for the 2^nd spot against Turkey. Therefore, they need to go for all three points in this one, and an excellent start in the tournament.

Full-Time Winner Odds & Prediction

We don’t see Wales as a significant threat to Switzerland in this match, and we believe the Swiss will celebrate in this game. The odds are pretty generous and definitely worth a try.

Goals Market Prediction

Wales has been struggling in front of the oppositions’ net lately, and this match shouldn’t be much different. We don’t expect to see too many goals, while Switzerland could keep the clean sheet.

Switzerland to Win @ 2.15

BTTS No @ 1.55 

Correct score 0:2 @ 8.50

[ALEXXXXXXXX]

Wales

They play well on defensive, with 8 clean sheets in recent 11 games. But they are weak in offensive. They rely on Gareth Bale to score. Whether Wales play well depends on his form.

 

Switzerland

They are totally different from Wales. They play aggressively, with 12 scoring goals in recent 3 games. Most of their players play for Top Five Leagues, who are full of experience. They cannot be ignored.

 

Verdict:

Switzerland are slightly better than Wales in recent form. Switzerland are in high morale with a three-match winning streak. The result of the games is suggested to be 0-1 or 0-2.

 

Goals in Match: 1-2 goals

[peanut peanut]

2-1 Wales @ 16/1

2-1 Switzerland @ 10/1

[harry_rag]

Ok, I’m not sure how this plays into my “being disciplined” thing but all of these bets flick my switches one way or another so here we go!

20 points on Wales to win at 16/5 with Hills - I just can’t be having them as worse than a 3/1 shot; I think the market is flattering the Swiss slightly and overestimating the prospects of a low scoring draw.

20 points on Schar to be shown a card at 13/5 with Hills - Decent looking tip in the RP, apparently he’s been carded in 9 of his last 15 competitive Internationals.

5 points (free bet) on Bale to score from outside the are at 16/1 with Hills - Decent enough price for a fun fiver freebie bet.

5 point header scored trixie in today’s 3 games at 11/5, 2/1 and 7/4 with Hills - Didn’t land in the opener but still strikes me as too big. I’ll play a small daily trixie rather than 3 singles.

 

[StefanBB]

Turkey vs Wales

Senol Gunes’s side had an abysmal display in the EURO 2020 opener, as they suffered a 3:0 defeat against Italy. Turkey didn’t manage to threaten Azzurri, who easily claimed their first victory. Burak Yilmaz and the lads now need to go for a win in this one, but they should change their approach to the game. Turkey’s defensive mentality failed in Rome, and they don’t have time to waste in this one, as they desperately need all three points. The defeat against Italy was their first without losing, and they want to get back on the winning track. However, they need to put a much better display of they want to pick up something from this game.

Wales worked hard to earn a 1:1 draw against Switzerland, although it seemed they might lose heavily. However, their rivals wasted too many opportunities, and the Dragons knew how to punish that and pick up a vital point. This might be a crucial match for Gareth Bale and the lads, as they could get very close to the knockout stage if they win. Rob Page’s side hasn’t won three times in a row, though, scoring just once during that period. Wales should push hard to get some points from this encounter as well, as they will face Italy in the latest round.

Full-Time Winner Odds & Prediction

It is going to be a tight clash, as both sides could remain in the game for the knockout stage in case of a win. However, we believe this one might end in a draw, and these two sides should split points.

Goals Market Prediction

Turkey doesn’t seem to be in positive momentum, while Wales should try to provide another disciplined performance. We shouldn’t expect to see more than two goals in total in this clash.

Draw @ 3.10 

Under 2.5 FT @1.55 

Correct score 1:1 @ 6.50

[StefanBB]

Italy vs Switzerland

Azzurri had an excellent start into the tournament as they celebrated a 3:0 victory over Turkey. Roberto Mancini’s side looked confident, and they easily beat a tricky opponent. Gianluigi Donnarumma booked another clean sheet, his ninth in a row, and Italy seems unbeatable in the back. On the other hand, Ciro Immobile and the lads have been on fire lately, producing 14 goals on the previous three occasions. Italy is full of confidence, and they hope for a successful campaign. They became much more disciplined after Roberto Mancini took over the bench, and Azzurri enjoy a remarkable streak. A victory could seal the knockout stage for them, but they shouldn’t get complacent as Switzerland is not an easy opponent.

Switzerland made rue to their chances and earned just a draw against Wales. Breel Embolo and the lads got punished for their misses and don’t have the right for more mistakes anymore. However, they face in-form Italy, and Vladimir Petkovic’s side needs to step up and fight for vital points. A draw against the Dragons broke their winning streak that counted six games. Still, Switzerland hasn’t tasted a defeat on the previous eight occasions. Although their defense hasn’t been too tight, their forwards did well in the final third. The visitors want to continue their unbeatable run and fix their errors from the previous match. However, that is not going to be an easy task.

Full-Time Winner Odds & Prediction

Italy has been struggling with Switzerland in their latest head-to-head games between 2006 and 2010. These two sides drew three times in a row, but those were friendlies. Although Switzerland could make an upset, Azzurri are full of confidence, and they should celebrate again at the home ground.

Goals Market Prediction

Italy has been perfect in the back recently, but Switzerland scored at least a goal in their last ten matches. They failed to find the back of the net only against Spain since October 2019. Italy could concede in this one, and we believe both sides should score in this encounter.

Italy to Win @ 1.60 

BTTS Yes @2.25 

Correct score 2:1 @ 8.50

[McNasara]

4 hours ago, StefanBB said:

Turkey doesn’t seem to be in positive momentum...

There will be 30,000 their fans in Baku for this game ?

[StefanBB]

2 hours ago, McNasara said:

There will be 30,000 their fans in Baku for this game ?

Same thing with Scotland at Hampden, but they still lost against the Czech Republic.  Turkey looked really bad against Italy... But we'll see if they can improve today.

[peanut peanut]

2-1 Turkey 11/1

2-1 Wales 12/1

[peanut peanut]

2-1 Italy 17/2

2-1 Switzerland 18/1

[harry_rag]

Back on the headers scored today, 20 points each at 21/10 in the Wales game and 19/10 in the Italy game.

Temped to back Turkey to win, waiting to see if they drift further.

[StevieDay1983]

3 hours ago, StefanBB said:

Same thing with Scotland at Hampden, but they still lost against the Czech Republic.  Turkey looked really bad against Italy... But we'll see if they can improve today.

As a Welshman, I've seen it time and time again where we've turned up in our droves to support the team and the pressure of the home crowd has got to the players. I'm counting on that happening for Turkey today. I do think there's slightly more pressure on Wales because if we lose then we have to get a result against Italy but if Turkey lose they can still try to get a win against Switzerland. It's going to be a tough one for Wales though. Harder than the Switzerland game but we were so far off it in that opening game. I'm expecting both ourselves and Turkey to put in improved displays. If either side doesn't then they'll lose.

[StevieDay1983]

Turkey vs Wales

The second round of Group A matches get underway on Wednesday in the 2020 European Championship with a crucial clash between Turkey and Wales taking place at 5pm BST from the Olympic Stadium in Baku, Azerbaijan. This will essentially be a home game for the Turkish side as 30,000 Azeri and Turkish nationals are set to pack the stands compared to just 400 Welshman. Rourke's Drift anyone?! Altogether now.  Men of Harlech, on to the glory!

Turkey were deemed by many, including myself, to be dark horses in this group. The performance against Italy in Rome was disappointing but probably not unsurprising given how solid Italy are right now. Head coach Senol Gunes witnessed his team have just three shots on the Italian goal with none of those hitting the target in that 3-0 opening game defeat. The Crescent Stars are not unfamiliar with losing their opening game at a major tournament though having done so at all of their 7 appearances so far. This is the youngest side at the European Championship though with an average age of just 24 years and 352 days so how will they react to that opening game lashing? It will also be interesting to see if they can harness the energy of the passionate support they will get from the fans or if it will increase the pressure on them. It's already a game that Gunes has labelled a "must-win" for his team.

Wales know that realistically they need to win this game but the vital point earned in the 1-1 draw with Switzerland on the weekend after Kieffer Moore's superbly headed equaliser gives them hope even if they suffer defeat. It'll make life extremely difficult with a win needed against Italy in the final group game but it takes a bit of the pressure off getting all 3 points in this one. Still, if we're being realistic, 2 points is unlikely to be enough to qualify for the last 16. Head coach Robert Page raised some eyebrows with the decision to start Chris Mepham at centre back and leave Ethan Ampadu on the bench. At least he avoided playing the false nine that had been underwhelming in our pre-tournament friendlies. Starting Moore paid off but it still felt like a few players were nervous. We didn't see the full potential of the likes of Gareth Bale, Aaron Ramsey, or Daniel James. Credit to Switzerland for shutting the game down and that's why they are a top 15 ranked side in the world and have been for some time. It was a game that was there for the taking if Wales were better though so we're pleased with the point but disappointed we didn't play better. This game presents that opportunity. Bale has now failed to score in his past 12 games for Wales so it's been a long time coming.

I'm nervous about this one. Opinions amongst Wales fans is very mixed. Some feel Turkey will be a bit of a wounded animal looking to bounce back in front of strong support. Others feel no matter what performance Turkey put in it all depends on what Wales performance we see. I probably agree with that. When we went at Switzerland they struggled. We have such a great attacking line but we seemed to lack the self belief and confidence to use it in the last game. If we sit back and look to counter we'll invite trouble. If we go for Turkey like Italy did then we have the talent to cause them problems. I just think Page will be too cautious and it'll see us get a draw at best. That's me being optimistic as well.

Draw @ 3.07 with VBet

BTTS @ 2.15 with SportNation

[waynecoyne]

i fancy a turkey win today but will try a goalscorer bet instead

buy caglar soyuncu goal minutes at 2 (sporting index)

[StevieDay1983]

16 minutes ago, waynecoyne said:

i fancy a turkey win today but will try a goalscorer bet instead

buy caglar soyuncu goal minutes at 2 (sporting index)

You're breaking my heart, Wayne... but I completely understand! I tell you something. If we stick Joe Allen on Soyuncu like we put him on Embolo on Saturday then that bet looks decent!

[StevieDay1983]

Italy vs Switzerland

The second game in Group A being played on Wednesday is the 8pm BST kick-off between an impressive Italy and a potential banana skin opponent in Switzerland at the Stadio Olimpico in Rome. This is a big chance for one of the host nations to seal their spot in the last 16 but they face an opponent who have the ability to cause them problems if they're not at their best.

Italy left a lot of people in awe in the opening game of the tournament with the dominant 3-0 win over Turkey. Goals from Ciro Immobile and Lorenzo Insigne were added to an own goal by Turkey defender Merih Demiral. It showed exactly why the Italians are being backed to win this tournament with Roberto Mancini's men now on an unbeaten run of 28 matches. The Azzurri have now kept a clean sheet in each of their last 9 games which shows what a defensive force they have become again. That last ditch block by the experienced Giorgio Chiellini in the Turkey game late is evidence of the commitment and passion still present within the team. One interesting statistic is that Immobile has scored 92 goals in 118 appearances at this stadium. You wouldn't bet against him adding to that tally here.

Switzerland were a team I felt could struggle with a lot of their "golden generation" coming to the end of their careers now. I have to say that even though I felt Wales were lucky to peg the Swiss back to a 1-1 draw after Breel Embolo's opening goal I still felt that they weren't overly impressive. It was a game that was there for the taking for Wales. There is no denying that this Switzerland team has the experience to manage games effectively. That was clear against Wales. Can they compete with a team in form like Italy though? They have now drawn all of their previous 4 games at a European Championship. I have a feeling that run could come to an end here.

I have picked out Italy as the team to watch since before the tournament started and I'm glad they have shown exactly why I thought that. Along with France, they have been the stand out performers so far but are they at risk of peaking too early? I think they will build on that opening game win and even though they might not carve Switzerland open as easily as they did Turkey I think they should get another clean sheet win.

Italy to Win to Nil @ 2.50 with BetVictor

Anytime Scorer: Ciro Immobile @ 3.05 with SBK