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June 12 2024, 02:01 · Alex Lawes

Hungary vs Switzerland Preview & Prediction | UEFA EURO 2024 | Group Stage

Hungary vs Switzerland Preview & Prediction | UEFA EURO 2024 | Group Stage
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Hungary head into UEFA EURO 2024 on the back of an impressive few years and they kick off their campaign against perennial tournament under achievers, Switzerland, looking to try and replicate a more impressive showing at UEFA EURO 2020.

KICK-OFF DATE/TIME: Saturday 15th June, 2024 - UK – 2:00pm / US EST – 9:00am / US PST – 7:00am

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

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

HUNGARY PREVIEW: THE ‘DARK HORSES’

Hungary head into this tournament with a real opportunity. At UEFA EURO 2020, they were drawn alongside France, Germany and Portugal; caused all three teams trouble but eventually went out in fourth place. Since then, though, they have enjoyed continuity with tactically ‘relationist’ coach Marco Rossi continuing to develop them as a side.

Their 2022/23 UEFA Nations League campaign was a good one, including a 4-0 hammering of England at Molineux, and they have suffered just one defeat in their last 16 matches since losing 2-0 to Italy in Budapest in September 2022. Captained by talismanic figure Dominik Szoboszlai, they could be a team to be reckoned with in Germany.

SWITZERLAND PREVIEW: BACK TO THE WELL

Perennial qualifiers Switzerland have emerged through the group stages in each of the last two UEFA European Championships. They were beaten Poland in the Round of 16 of UEFA EURO 2016 but overcame France on penalties in an absolute thriller years ago before then being knocked out by Spain on penalties in the quarter-finals.

Hakan Yakin has a genuinely excellent squad which boasts arguably the best midfielder in Europe at the moment, or at least one of, with captain Granit Xhaka. The Swiss, with the returning Breel Embolo up-front and Manuel Akanji at the back, come into this opener on the back of a 1-1 draw with Austria, which means they are on a four-match unbeaten streak.

HUNGARY TEAM NEWS: FORMATION-LESS ‘SORT OF’

Marco Rossi, as mentioned, is a 'relationist' coach which is the idea that no player has a set position on the pitch but moves or makes movements in relation to opponents, their teammates or where the ball is on the pitch. That makes Hungary very unpredictable and fun in attack but they do, despite that, maintain a solid shape at the back and it is, for all of the talk, basically a 3-4-2-1 system.

PREDICTED XI (3-4-2-1): Gulacsi; Lang, Orban, Szalai; Bolla, A. Nagy, Schafer, Kerkez; Sallai, Szoboszlai; Varga

UNAVAILABLE:

QUESTIONABLE: Nego (Injured), Styles (Injured)

SWITZERLAND TEAM NEWS: WHETHER TO RISK EMBOLO

Switzerland have experience throughout their squad but the key dilemma will be in attack. Breel Embolo is not yet fit to start so either Noah Okafor but, more likely, Zeki Amdouni, will get the nod up top alongside Augsburg man Ruben Vargas. The other decision for Yakin to make will be to make a decision between Nico Elvedi and Fabian Schar alongside Manuel Akanji and Ricardo Rodriguez in defence.

PREDICTED XI (3-4-2-1): Sommer; Elvedii, Akanji, Rodriguez; Widmer, Freuler, Xhaka, Ndoye; Shaqiri; Vargas, Amdouni

UNAVAILABLE: Zuber (Injured), Embolo (Injured)

QUESTIONABLE:

KEY STATS

  • This is Hungary’s fifth EURO appearance and third in succession.
  • Hungary are without a win in their last six EURO matches (D4 L2). Since a 2-0 victory against Austria in their opening fixture at EURO 2016.
  • Hungary have drawn four of their last five EURO group stage matches (L1).
  • Hungary are unbeaten in their last eight competitive matches (W5 D3) – all in EURO qualifying.
  • Hungary’s last win against Switzerland in a competitive match was a 3-0 home victory in a World Cup qualifier in October 1981.
  • Hungary won 2-0 in the only previous major final tournament fixture between these two teams in the quarter-finals at the 1938 World Cup.
  • Hungary have scored at least two goals in all their last six competitive matches.
  • None of Hungary’s previous 11 EURO matches have finished without a goal being scored.
  • There has been a total of 19 goals scored in Hungary’s last five EURO matches (average of 3.8 goals per game).
  • Hungary have scored the first goal in three of their last four EURO group stage matches.
  • This is Switzerland’s sixth EURO appearance in the last eight final tournaments, since their debut in 1996.
  • Excluding penalty shoot-outs, Switzerland have lost only one of their last ten EURO matches (W3 D6).
  • Switzerland have drawn six of their last eight EURO matches (W1 L1).
  • Switzerland have lost only one of their last seven EURO group stage matches (W3 D3).
  • Switzerland have lost their opening match in only one of their previous five EURO appearances (W1 D3).
  • Switzerland have lost only one of their last nine matches against Hungary (W6 D2). The Swiss have won three in a row since a 2-0 home win for Hungary in a friendly in November 1998.

HUNGARY VS SWITZERLAND PREDICTION

The aforementioned ‘relationist’ tactical approach of Marco Rossi means that Hungary can be extremely unpredictable in attack. Whilst defensively rigid having steadily grown together in recent years, that does mean, especially with the creative spark of Dominik Szoboszlai, they are almost always a threat. Switzerland have had some in-fighting to deal with throughout their build-up, notably between captain Granit Xhaka and manager Hakan Yakin, but they are a ‘proper’ tournament team with nous and will be able to soak up a punch. This could be an unexpectedly entertaining game on Saturday.

HUNGARY VS SWITZERLAND TIP: BOTH TEAMS TO SCORE