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June 13 2024, 00:52 · Alex Lawes

Belgium vs Slovakia Preview & Prediction | UEFA EURO 2024 | Group Stage

Belgium vs Slovakia Preview & Prediction | UEFA EURO 2024 | Group Stage
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Belgium are the perennial so-called ‘dark horses’ but they are moving through generations as they face what is a weak Slovakian side, albeit a Slovakian side that have shown some improvement in their warm-up friendlies.

KICK-OFF DATE/TIME: Monday 17th June, 2024 - UK – 5:00pm / US EST – 12:00pm / US PST – 10:00am

HOW TO WATCH ON TV: UK – ITV / US – FOX

HOW TO WATCH ONLINE: UK – ITVX / US – VIX

BELGIUM PREVIEW: GENERATIONAL TRANSITION

For the last decade, Belgium’s star-studded ‘golden generation’ has somewhat underperformed on the biggest stage but the Red Devils have begun to integrate the next generation of stars, albeit still retaining key men such as Kevin De Bruyne and Romelu Lukaku. With former Schalke boss Domenico Tedesco at the helm, they are a far more functional but potentially more effective outfit.

Under Roberto Martinez, they reached the semi-finals of the 2018 FIFA World Cup and quarter-finals of UEFA EURO 2020 but their group stage elimination at the 2022 FIFA World Cup signalled the end of that era. They eased past Montenegro and Luxembourg in recent warm-up friendlies and are now unbeaten in 14 matches since losing to Morocco at the aforementioned 2022 FIFA World Cup.

SLOVAKIA PREVIEW: GOOD PREPARATION

Just like at UEFA EURO 2020, it is quite bizarre and a little bemusing that Slovakia have managed to qualify for this tournament because it is by no means a stellar generation and, for large parts of qualification, they were really underwhelming. Almost by default and seemingly inertia, though, they are at their third successive UEFA European Championships.

Coached by Francesco Calzona, who has been in charge of Napoli for the last few months of the season and is assisted by Napoli and Slovakia legend Marek Hamsik, they did get a morale boosting victory in their final warm-up friendly as they hammered a sorry Wales team by four goals to nil in Bratislava.

BELGIUM TEAM NEWS: BELLIGERENT BELGIANS

After Thibaut Courtois was not selected due to a fall-out with coach Domenico Tedesco, the Red Devils are also dealing with a few other defensive injury concerns. Experienced defender Jan Vertonghen remains unavailable alongside Arthur Theate with wing-back Thomas Meunier being forced off through injury in a recent friendly against Luxembourg, too.

PREDICTED XI (3-4-2-1): Casteels; Faes, Witsel, De Cuyper; Castagne, Mangala, Onana, Doku; Trossard, De Bruyne; Lukaku

UNAVAILABLE: Theate (Injured), Vertonghen (Injured), Meunier (Injured)

QUESTIONABLE:

SLOVAKIA TEAM NEWS: FUNCTIONAL SLOVAKS

Slovakia have always been functional but Francesco Calzona, a good mate of Maurizio Sarri and his former assistant coach, has always intended to play a more progressive style of football. 4-3-3 or 4-2-3-1 remains likely, even against tough opposition, with the biggest injury doubt being key midfielder Juraj Kucka.

PREDICTED XI (4-2-3-1): Dubravka; Pekarik, Vavro, Skriniar, Hancko; Kucka, Lobotka; Haraslin, Duda, Suslov; Bozenik

UNAVAILABLE:

QUESTIONABLE: Kucka (Injured)

KEY STATS

  • This is Belgium’s seventh EURO appearance and third in succession. They reached the quarter-finals at EURO 2016 and EURO 2020.
  • Belgium have won their last five EURO group stage matches.
  • Belgium have won their opening match in three of their last four EURO final tournament campaigns.
  • Belgium have drawn only two of their previous 22 EURO matches. Their last draw was against Italy at the 1980 finals (17 games played since then).
  • Belgium have kept a clean sheet in four of their last five EURO group stage matches.
  • Belgium have not failed to score in their last nine EURO matches.
  • This is the first meeting between Belgium and Slovakia since a 2-1 home win for the Belgians in a friendly in February 2013.
  • This is Slovakia’s third successive EURO appearance.
  • Slovakia have won only one of their last five EURO matches (D1 L3).
  • Slovakia have failed to score in four of their last five EURO matches.
  • Slovakia are aiming to win their opening match at a second successive EURO having defeated Poland 2-1 in their first fixture at EURO 2020.
  • Slovakia have lost only two of their last 11 competitive matches (W7 D2).

BELGIUM VS SLOVAKIA PREDICTION

Domenico Tedesco still has a Belgium team that has a lot of attacking talent but the Red Devils are no longer so stocked and so willing to be overly attacking as they were under Roberto Martinez. Still, though, they could actually go under the radar after a strong qualifying campaign and an awareness of their clear weaknesses. Slovakia have a chance of sneaking through this group but that will likely only come in their final match when they face Romania with a comfortable Belgian win to be expected.

BELGIUM VS SLOVAKIA TIP: BELGIUM TO WIN

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