Preview: England Under-21s vs. Spain Under-21s - prediction, team news, lineups

The Young Lions cruised past Israel 3-0 to advance to the showpiece event for just the fourth time, while La Rojita broke Ukrainian hearts with a ruthless 5-1 drubbing.

Match preview

For long periods of England's semi-final showdown with Israel on Wednesday night, the contest had the feel of a lethargic battle between two sets of players in desperate need of a vacation, but Lee Carsley's starlets ultimately replicated their group-stage success over the Young Chosen Team to advance to the showpiece.

After a missed penalty best consigned to history, Morgan Gibbs-White went from villain to hero with a stunning header to open the scoring in the 42nd minute, before Cole Palmer and Cameron Archer found a way past the beleaguered Israel backline to put the result beyond any doubt.

The self-professed "big believer" Carsley could not stop waxing lyrical about his youthful troops after they became the first England side to reach the final of the Under-21 European Championships since 2009 - when a Stuart Pearce led side conceded four to Germany without reply - and they had only progressed beyond the group stage in one of the subsequent six editions.

However, one year after the Lionesses wowed the nation at Euro 2022, continental glory is once again within reach for England's Under-21s, who have not been crowned European champions for 39 years - clinching back-to-back titles in 1982 and 1984 but failing to add to their cabinet since.

Remarkably yet to concede a single goal at Euro 2023, the James Trafford, Taylor Harwood-Bellis and Levi Colwill-marshalled defence has proven too resilient for 2021 finalists Germany and Portugal to breach this time around, but Spain will perhaps provide the toughest test of the Young Lions' mettle.

Spain may not be able to share England's impeccable defensive record, but what La Rojita have sometimes lacked at the back, they have more than made up for in attack, and Ukraine felt the full force of Santi Denia's unrelenting charges during a semi-final trouncing.

Ukraine - who were not to be taken lightly after sending France packing and holding Spain to a 2-2 draw in the group phase - needed just 13 minutes to break the deadlock through Artem Bondarenko, but the Spanish slaughter soon began, as Abel Ruiz, Oihan Sancet, Antonio Blanco, Aimar Oroz and Sergio Gomez all contributed to the demolition job.

Wednesday's win certainly made a change from their nervy 2-1 quarter-final triumph over a leaky Switzerland - who took Denia's side to extra time - but the end result is still the same, and Spain will now participate in the final of the Under-21 European Championships for a record-extending ninth time.

Five-time winners of the continental cup - level with Italy - Spain have tasted success three times since England's last Under-21 triumph, hoisting the trophy aloft in 2011, 2013 and 2019, and La Rojita will bring a 19-game unbeaten run to Batumi's Adjarabet Arena, with their most recent loss coming to Portugal in the 2021 semi-finals.

However, England have an unbeaten head-to-head record to protect on Saturday, as the Young Lions have never been defeated in five previous meetings with La Rojita, most recently playing out a 1-1 draw in the 2011 group stage and posting a 3-0 aggregate success in the 1984 final under the late Dave Sexton.

England Under-21s European Under-21 Championship form:

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England Under-21s form (all competitions):

Spain Under-21s European Under-21 Championship form:

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Spain Under-21s form (all competitions):

Team News

England put three past Israel despite suffering a bitter injury blow before Wednesday's game, as Aston Villa midfielder Jacob Ramsey was forced to withdraw due to an ankle problem he sustained in the quarter-final win over Portugal.

Thankfully for Carsley, the Young Lions boss did not witness any more players pick up physical problems on Wednesday, and he will also receive a timely double defensive boost with the returns of Max Aarons and Ben Johnson from suspension.

Aarons could immediately displace Luke Thomas on the left-hand side, but James Garner has held his own as a makeshift right-back throughout the tournament, and Carsley should see no reason to demote the Everton man to the bench.

Similarly, Spain boss Denia should also be able to call upon all of his troops for Saturday's showpiece, and two of the tournament's three joint-top scorers lie within the Rojita ranks.

Indeed, Manchester City left-back Gomez - operating in a more advanced position - and Braga striker Ruiz have both notched three goals so far, level with Ukraine's Heorhiy Sudakov, and the duo are undisputed starters in the final third.

Despite netting 11 La Liga goals last season and earning links with some of Europe's biggest clubs, Celta Vigo starlet Gabri Veiga remains a peripheral player for Denia - who has named him on the bench throughout the tournament - and a sixth successive substitute cameo may be the best that the 21-year-old can wish for here.

England Under-21s possible starting lineup:

Trafford; Garner, Harwood-Bellis, Colwill, Aarons; Smith Rowe, Jones, Gomes, Palmer; Gibbs-White, Gordon

Spain Under-21s possible starting lineup:

Tenas; V. Gomez, Paredes, Pacheco, Miranda; Baena, Blanco, Sancet; Sanchez, Ruiz, S. Gomez

We say: England Under-21s 2-2 Spain Under-21s (a.e.t, England to win on penalties)

Aiming to follow in the footsteps of Sexton's champions from 39 years ago, England can undoubtedly breach the Spanish backline on more than one occasion, but their unblemished defensive record may finally be broken against their counterparts' fearsome attackers.

Despite both sets of players feeling the effects of a long and gruelling season, Saturday's final should certainly live up to the billing, and one of football's rarest collector's items - England winning a penalty shootout - could propel the Young Lions to another long-awaited continental crown.

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