Croatia
Indonesia
Nigeria
South Africa

Euro 2024 today: Who is playing? How to watch? What to look out for?

sportsmole.co.uk, 27 June 2024, 06:05
Mere weeks after a gruelling domestic season concluded for the continent's most celebrated talents, 24 teams and over 600 players are now going again with Euro 2024 supremacy at stake.

Only three years have passed since Italy's exhilarating run to glory at the delayed Euro 2020 tournament, culminating in their penalty-shootout success over England at Wembley in the final, and the Azzurri are present in Germany to defend their crown after their World Cup 2022 failure.

However, the likes of England, France, Spain, Portugal, the Netherlands and hosts Germany are among the leading contenders to dethrone Italy as kings of Europe, where the new continental champions will be crowned in Berlin on July 14.

Here, Sports Mole rounds up everything you need to know about today's Euro 2024 action, including which teams are in action, how to watch and what to keep a particular eye out for.

TODAY'S EURO 2024 FIXTURES

There are no Euro 2024 games taking place either on Thursday or Friday, but the tournament will resume on Saturday with two last-16 ties, including the first kicking off at 5pm between Group A runners-up Switzerland and Group B runners-up Italy at the Olympiastadion in Berlin.

Later in the evening, Euro 2024 hosts and Group A winners Germany will lock horns with Group C runners-up Denmark at Westfalenstadion in Dortmund, with kickoff scheduled for 8pm.

SATURDAY'S PREDICTED LINEUPS AT EURO 2024

Switzerland: Sommer; Schar, Akanji, Rodriguez; Widmer, Xhaka, Freuler, Aebischer; Shaqiri, Vargas; Ndoye

Italy: Donnarumma; Darmian, Bastoni, Buongiorno; Di Lorenzo, Jorginho, Barella, Dimarco; Pellegrini, Chiesa, Retegui

Germany: Neuer; Kimmich, Rudiger, Schlotterbeck, Mittelstadt; Andrich, Kroos; Musiala, Gundogan, Wirtz; Havertz

Denmark: Schmeichel; Andersen, Christensen, Vestergaard; Bah, Norgaard, Hojbjerg, Maehle; Eriksen; Hojlund, Wind

HOW TO WATCH SATURDAY'S EURO 2024 ACTION

Switzerland's encounter with Italy will be shown live on BBC 1, BBC iPlayer and the BBC Sport Website, with coverage expected to begin at 4:30pm.

Later in the evening, Germany's clash with Denmark will be shown live on ITV1 and ITVX, in addition to STV and the STV Player, with coverage set to begin at 7pm.

WHAT TO LOOK OUT FOR IN SATURDAY'S EURO 2024 MATCHES

Switzerland vs. Italy

Switzerland were on course to top Group A with a respectable seven points from three matches, but they were denied a memorable victory over Germany on matchday three after Niclas Fullkrug scored a 92nd-minute equaliser in a 1-1 draw.

Nevertheless, Murat Yakin's side secured second place, advancing to the knockout rounds for the third successive European Championship, and they will endeavour to replicate their heroic Euro 2020 last-16 triumph over France when the face another European giant this weekend in the form of holders Italy.

The Azzurri - who beat Switzerland 3-0 in the group stage of Euro 2020 - left it late to secure second spot in Group B at this summer's tournament as they relied on a dramatic 98th-minute equaliser to rescue a 1-1 draw with Croatia on matchday three.

Italy will fancy their chances of progressing to the quarter-finals, something they have achieved at each of the previous four Euros appearances, but they cannot take the Swiss lightly having drawn six of their last eight meetings.

Germany vs. Denmark

As previously mentioned, Germany snatched a point from Switzerland to secure top spot in Group A and preserve their unbeaten run at Euro 2024, having previously eased to victory over Scotland and Hungary.

Julian Nagelsmann is hoping to steer Die Mannschaft to an unprecedented fourth European Championship title, but they are tasked with progressing past a Denmark side whom they have beaten only once in their last six meetings.

Germany will nevertheless be regarded as favourites to come out on top against a Danish outfit who experienced mixed fortunes in Group C, drawing all three matches including a drab goalless stalemate with Slovenia on matchday three.

There were positives to take from their previous 1-1 draw with an out-of-sorts England side, though, and manager Kasper Hjulmand will be rubbing his hands at the prospect of his side - semi-finalists a Euro 2020 - pulling off an almighty upset in Dortmund.

WHAT HAPPENED IN WEDNESDAY'S FIXTURES AT EURO 2024?

For the first time in European Championship history, all four teams within the same group have finished on the same points, as Group E quartet Romania, Belgium, Slovakia and Ukraine collected four points each from their three matches.

Romania have secured top spot courtesy of a 1-1 draw with Slovakia, who have scraped through to the last 16 in third place. Ondrej Duda's first-half opener for Slovakia was cancelled out 13 minutes later by Razvan Marin's emphatic penalty, and both sides eventually celebrated progression in Frankfurt.

Meanwhile, Ukraine have become the first nation in Euros history to finish bottom of a group while earning as many as four points, after playing out a 0-0 draw with Belgium, who have settled for second place in Group E.

Over in Group F, major tournament debutants Georgia pulled off one of the shocks of Euro 2024 as they beat group winners Portugal by a 2-0 scoreline to advance to the knockout rounds as a third-placed team.

Goals either side of half time from Khvicha Kvaratskhelia and Georges Mikautadze secured a deserved win over a heavily-rotated Portugal outfit - Mikautadze is now the outright top scorer at this summer's Euros with three goals.

Turkey, meanwhile, have progressed to the last 16 as runners-up of Group F after beating 10-man Czech Republic 2-1 thanks to a 94th-minute winner from Cenk Tosun. There were 18 cards shown between the two teams - 16 yellows and two reds (one red after full time) - which is the most in a single game in European Championship history.

Top News

24 December 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Tottenham Hotspur midfielder Rodrigo Bentancur can make his long-awaited domestic return when Spurs square off with Nottingham Forest in Thursday's Premier League Boxing Day encounter. 24 December 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Nottingham Forest head coach Nuno Espirito Santo will be reuniting with the club he managed for 17 games when Tottenham Hotspur visit the City Ground for a Boxing Day Premier League battle. 24 December 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Occupying opposite positions to what many perhaps expected at the start of the season, Nottingham Forest and Tottenham Hotspur lock horns in a Premier League Boxing Day battle at the City Ground. 24 December 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta has confirmed that star winger Bukayo Saka will miss "several weeks" due to a hamstring injury. 24 December 2024 talksport.com Martin Keown believes that Ethan Nwaneri could be the man to best deputise for Bukayo Saka at Arsenal. 24 December 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Juventus have enquired about the availability of Chelsea centre-back Axel Disasi in January, according to a report. 24 December 2024 talksport.com 'Tis the season to be jolly, but perhaps not if your name is Michael Olise. 24 December 2024 sportsmole.co.uk On a seemingly unstoppable surge towards Premier League title number two, Liverpool return from their brief Christmas hiatus on Boxing Day, hosting Leicester City in the 8pm kickoff. 24 December 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Short-serving Tottenham Hotspur manager Nuno Espirito Santo seeks to prolong Spurs' festive misery on Boxing Day, when his Nottingham Forest side tackle the Lilywhites at the City Ground. 24 December 2024 talksport.com Liverpool sit top at Christmas having mauled Tottenham and fans are dreaming of more title glory. 24 December 2024 talksport.com Christmas is a joyful occasion for many, but some of the Premier League's lower-ranking sides may have slightly muted celebrations. 24 December 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Leicester City manager Ruud van Nistelrooy might give consideration to a formation change for Boxing Day's Premier League clash away to leaders Liverpool. 24 December 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Liverpool head coach Arne Slot should be working with an identical group of players for Boxing Day's Premier League battle with Leicester City at Anfield. 24 December 2024 talksport.com Former Arsenal star Ray Parlour is known for telling a good story, whether that's on or off the pitch. 24 December 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Sweeping aside every obstacle in their path, Premier League title favourites Liverpool resume their pursuit of stardom at 8pm on Boxing Day, when Leicester City make the jaunt to Anfield. 24 December 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Sitting just above their hosts in the Premier League table, Aston Villa will visit Newcastle United on Boxing Day, aiming to avoid a fifth straight away defeat in England's top flight. 24 December 2024 talksport.com Arsenal's quest to win a first Premier League title in 21 years is still on - Bukayo Saka's injury doesn't change anything. 24 December 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Tottenham Hotspur head coach Ange Postecoglou has been talking team news and transfers ahead of Thursday's Premier League contest with Nottingham Forest at the City Ground. 24 December 2024 sportsmole.co.uk West Ham United manager Julen Lopetegui has lost Lucas Paqueta to suspension ahead of Boxing Day's Premier League battle with Southampton at St Mary's. 24 December 2024 talksport.com Football and travel chaos seem to go hand-in-hand over winter, but no one's had it quite as bad as Tottenham fans in 1996. 24 December 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Ivan Juric oversees his first Southampton match on Boxing Day, when the Saints pit their wits against West Ham United at St Mary's in the Premier League. 24 December 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Separated by two points and two places in the Premier League table, Newcastle United and Aston Villa will both aim to boost their top-four ambitions when they clash on Boxing Day. 24 December 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Boxing Day marks the beginning of a new era for Premier League basement boys Southampton, as Ivan Juric takes charge of his inaugural game at home to West Ham United. 24 December 2024 talksport.com Manchester City have the chance to finally end their dreadful form on Boxing Day when they host Everton, live on talkSPORT. 24 December 2024 talksport.com Arsenal's quest for a first Premier League title since 2004 is already in jeopardy - with the January transfer window coming at a perfect time. 24 December 2024 talksport.com Carlos Corberan is set to leave West Brom and become the new manager of Valencia, talkSPORT understands. 24 December 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Manchester United head coach Ruben Amorim is apparently under no pressure to select Marcus Rashford after the forward's bombshell interview. 24 December 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Manchester City's 'implosion' can be attributed to a number of factors this season, but Pep Guardiola's champions-in-crisis have simply reached the "natural end of an era", Steven McInerney of Esteemed Kompany has told Sports Mole. 24 December 2024 sportsmole.co.uk As two of the West London clubs that have spent the most time in the top flight of English football, Chelsea and Fulham are well accustomed to each other. 24 December 2024 sportsmole.co.uk As two of the oldest clubs in English football, Everton and Manchester City have been at the heartbeat of two major footballing cities since the late-1800s, and their paths have crossed more than most others in the game.