UEFA Euro 2024 returns to the headlines this week with another round of matches as Slovenia take on impressive Serbia in a crucial clash at the Allianz Arena in Munich on Thursday. Both teams can pack in their day and will want to win this match.
Serbia are rooted to the bottom of Group C in the UEFA Euro 2024 table and will need to make amends on Thursday. The Serbians fell to a narrow 1-0 defeat to England in their previous game and will be looking to bounce back this week.
Slovenia, on the other hand, are third in their group and have been impressive in the competition. The Slovenian side held Denmark to a 1-1 draw last week and will be hoping to get a positive result in this fixture.
Team news
Slovenia coach Kek could name an unchanged starting line-up for Thursday’s game, with last weekend’s goalscorer Janza continuing at left-back and joining Jakob Bijol, Vanjo Drkusič and Zan Karničnik in a back four that will protect Atletico Madrid goalkeeper Jan Oblak.
Adam Gnezda Cerin and Timi Max Elsnik are set to resume in midfield, although 92-man Jasmin Kurtic will seek a recall, while Petar Stojanovic and Jan Mlakar should continue on the wings.
Star striker Benjamin Sesko, who scored 11 goals in 30 representative matches for Slovenia, will be joined by Andraz Sporar up front, Zan Čelar and Jan Mlakar will cover on the substitutes.
As for Serbia, Filip Kostic has been ruled out of the rest of Euro 2024 after injuring his knee against England, so Filip Mladenovic should take his place at left-back.
Fulham’s Sasa Lukic and Sevilla’s Nemanja Gudelj could continue in midfield unless Stojkovic decides to move Sergej Milinkovic-Savic into a deeper role after he last started as a No.10.
If Milinkovic-Savic plays deeper, it would open the way for playmaker Dušan Tadic, who surprisingly started as a substitute against England, to return to the starting line-up and play behind forwards Aleksandar Mitrović and Dušan Vlahović.
Slovenia’s possible starting lineup:
Oblak; Karnicnik, Blazic, Bijol, Janza; Stojanovic, Gnezda Cerin, Elsnik, Mlakar; Sporar, Sesko
Serbia’s possible starting lineup:
V. Milinkovic-Savic; Veljkovic, Milenkovic, Pavlovic; Zivkovic, S. Milinkovic-Savic, Gudelj, Mladenovic; Tadic; Vlahovic, Mitrovic
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