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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
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