England’s bid to exorcise the demons of UEFA Euro 2020 begins at the Veltins-Arena on Sunday night when the Three Lions begin their quest for Euro 2024 supremacy against Group C foes Serbia.
All eyes will be on the Veltins-Arena as tournament favorites England open their UEFA Euro 2024 campaign against Serbia.
Serbia, two-time European runners-up in 1960 and 1968 during their Yugoslavian days, are making their debut at this year’s edition having never before qualified for the quadrennial continental meeting as an independent nation.
Serbia is definitely a tough team to beat. They are an attack-oriented team that is willing to put many bodies into every attack. They have some top attacking players in their squad and it will be a tough challenge for other teams to stop them.
Reigning champions England will be keen to start their campaign with a win, although their result in their last friendly was very disappointing when they beat Iceland 1-0. The Three Lions have players who can make a difference in these big games. This is sure to be an exciting match
Team news
Unlike some of their Euro 2024 rivals, Serbia have come through a physically unblemished June warm-up and have all their big forwards at their disposal, meaning Stojkovic faces the best kind of selection dilemma in the final third.
The Eagles boss has tended to avoid starting both Vlahovic and Mitrovic up top and could stick with that approach, allowing Tadic – Serbia’s all-time capped player with 108 appearances – to return to the attacking third.
There should also be room to return to the engine room for Nemanja Maksimovic – rested for Sweden’s win after a head knock against Austria – while Werder Bremen’s Miloš Veljkovic should return to a three-man defensive wall ahead of Predrag Rajkovic. or Vanja Milinkovic-Savic.
As for England, Southgate appears to have avoided illness with key defender John Stones – also the victim of a knock on the ankle in the loss in Iceland – successfully quarantined in his bedroom and now training as normal again.
So the only Southgate absent from Sunday’s opener should be Luke Shaw, who is back in full training after a muscle problem but will not be risked yet, meaning Kieran Trippier will continue to hold down the fort on the left.
Key forwards Jude Bellingham and Bukayo Saka are both looking to get well-deserved rests and Southgate is also expected to give Trent Alexander-Arnold the nod in the midfield position after his exceptional work against Bosnia.
Serbia’s possible starting lineup:
V. Milinkovic-Savic; Veljkovic, Milenkovic, Pavlovic; Zivkovic, Maksimovic, Lukic, Kostic; S. Milinkovic-Savic, Tadic; Mitrovic
England’s possible starting lineup:
Pickford; Walker, Stones, Guehi, Trippier; Alexander-Arnold, Rice; Saka, Bellingham, Foden; Kane
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