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FotMob Daily Briefing: Four things to look out for on Day 16 at the Euros

FotMob Daily Briefing: Four things to look out for on Day 16 at the Euros

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After two days of much needed rest and recuperation, we’re ready for the knockout stages at EURO 2014. Here are four things you should look out as the Round of 16 begins with the tie between Switzerland and Italy, and continues with hosts Germany up against neighbours Denmark.

By Ian King

Italy’s Late equaliser against Croatia shouldn’t mask an indifferent group stage for the holders

Late goals can act like sticking plasters. They can present an opportunity for renovation and healing, but at the same time they can also hide other blemishes which may also require attention. 

Mattia Zaccagni’s 98th minute equaliser for Italy against Croatia was, perhaps, one of those moments. On the one hand, the goal kept them in the competition, albeit by the skin of their teeth. But on the other, it may also have masked issues which will need resolving if they’re to go anywhere near as deep in this tournament as they did three years ago.

This has not been a very impressive group stage from Italy. They were a goal down inside 30 seconds against Albania, and even though they pulled that back to win the eventual margin was unconvincing, while they were clearly second-best against Spain. 

It’s not all bad news. Riccardo Calafiori has been impressive while Gianluigi Donnarumma is in contention for being the best goalkeeper of the tournament. But Calafiori is now suspended and Luciano Spaletti’s revised 3-5-2 formation was only partially successful against Croatia. You wouldn’t bet against it happening, but Italy do need to improve if they’re going to go much further. 

Switzerland need to finish games off if they’re to proceed

A big part of the feeling that Italy have to improve is that Switzerland were decent in the group stage. A draw against Scotland was a pretty poor result, but Germany needed a stoppage-time equaliser to salvage a point against them and they were very convincing in their win against Hungary.

The big question for Switzerland is whether they can finish games off in the way that they did in their opening match. They had more than an hour to find a winner against Scotland but failed to do so, while losing a late equaliser to Germany has given them a tougher path to the latter stages. If this is a last hurrah for the team that came through with winning the 2009 U17 World Cup, beating the holders of the competition would at least be a vindication of that win, a decade and a half ago. 

Germany’s Swiss Blessing in Disguise

Requiring a stoppage-time goal to draw with Switzerland may turn out to be a blessing in disguise for Germany. With no competitive games since their disastrous 2022 World Cup they were something of an unknown quantity going into this tournament, but their performances in their first two games have indicated that they may indeed be ‘back’. Niclas Füllkrug’s late goal was worth more than one point to Germany. It meant that Germany averted a last-16 meeting with Italy.

It’s unlikely that Denmark will match their semi-final appearance from Euro 2020

While England were stinking Euro 2024 out against Slovenia, the group’s other match was further confirming the idea that Group C was the worst of this stage of the tournament. Against Serbia they were disjointed and uncoordinated, and their brightest glimmer of hope for the knockouts comes from the history books. They were rank outsiders to beat Germany in the 1992 final but did so 2-0, and the optimistic take on them is that they can raise their game again tonight. 

But while Christian Eriksen provided a fairytale in their opening match against Slovenia by scoring in his first Euro finals match since his cardiac arrest in Copenhagen, it might be another Danish Christian, Hans Christian Andersen, whose services need to be invoked to write another one for what looks like a daunting fixture against the hosts. 

(Cover image from IMAGO)

You can follow every game from Euro 2024 live with FotMob — featuring deep stats coverage, xG, and player ratings. Download the free app here.

FotMob Daily Briefing: Four things to look out for on Day 16 at the Euros

After two days of much needed rest and recuperation, we’re ready for the knockout stages at EURO 2014. Here are four things you should look out as the Round of 16 begins with the tie between Switzerland and Italy, and continues with hosts Germany up against neighbours Denmark.

By Ian King

Italy’s Late equaliser against Croatia shouldn’t mask an indifferent group stage for the holders

Late goals can act like sticking plasters. They can present an opportunity for renovation and healing, but at the same time they can also hide other blemishes which may also require attention. 

Mattia Zaccagni’s 98th minute equaliser for Italy against Croatia was, perhaps, one of those moments. On the one hand, the goal kept them in the competition, albeit by the skin of their teeth. But on the other, it may also have masked issues which will need resolving if they’re to go anywhere near as deep in this tournament as they did three years ago.

This has not been a very impressive group stage from Italy. They were a goal down inside 30 seconds against Albania, and even though they pulled that back to win the eventual margin was unconvincing, while they were clearly second-best against Spain. 

It’s not all bad news. Riccardo Calafiori has been impressive while Gianluigi Donnarumma is in contention for being the best goalkeeper of the tournament. But Calafiori is now suspended and Luciano Spaletti’s revised 3-5-2 formation was only partially successful against Croatia. You wouldn’t bet against it happening, but Italy do need to improve if they’re going to go much further. 

Switzerland need to finish games off if they’re to proceed

A big part of the feeling that Italy have to improve is that Switzerland were decent in the group stage. A draw against Scotland was a pretty poor result, but Germany needed a stoppage-time equaliser to salvage a point against them and they were very convincing in their win against Hungary.

The big question for Switzerland is whether they can finish games off in the way that they did in their opening match. They had more than an hour to find a winner against Scotland but failed to do so, while losing a late equaliser to Germany has given them a tougher path to the latter stages. If this is a last hurrah for the team that came through with winning the 2009 U17 World Cup, beating the holders of the competition would at least be a vindication of that win, a decade and a half ago. 

Germany’s Swiss Blessing in Disguise

Requiring a stoppage-time goal to draw with Switzerland may turn out to be a blessing in disguise for Germany. With no competitive games since their disastrous 2022 World Cup they were something of an unknown quantity going into this tournament, but their performances in their first two games have indicated that they may indeed be ‘back’. Niclas Füllkrug’s late goal was worth more than one point to Germany. It meant that Germany averted a last-16 meeting with Italy.

It’s unlikely that Denmark will match their semi-final appearance from Euro 2020

While England were stinking Euro 2024 out against Slovenia, the group’s other match was further confirming the idea that Group C was the worst of this stage of the tournament. Against Serbia they were disjointed and uncoordinated, and their brightest glimmer of hope for the knockouts comes from the history books. They were rank outsiders to beat Germany in the 1992 final but did so 2-0, and the optimistic take on them is that they can raise their game again tonight. 

But while Christian Eriksen provided a fairytale in their opening match against Slovenia by scoring in his first Euro finals match since his cardiac arrest in Copenhagen, it might be another Danish Christian, Hans Christian Andersen, whose services need to be invoked to write another one for what looks like a daunting fixture against the hosts. 

(Cover image from IMAGO)

You can follow every game from Euro 2024 live with FotMob — featuring deep stats coverage, xG, and player ratings. Download the free app here.