EURO 2024
After Spain and France set up a box-office semi-final clash by winning Euro 2024′s opening quarter-finals yesterday, attention now turns to Düsseldorf and Berlin, where the final two tickets to the last four will be up for grabs.
Today’s game at Merkur Spiel-Arena will be Gareth Southgate’s 100th as England boss. Under Southgate, the Three Lions have now reached the quarter-finals at four straight major finals tournaments – a feat the team had never previously achieved – but the pre-Euros favourites have failed to shine in Germany. Despite topping Group C, England’s first-round displays were drab and disjointed – and, far from improving in the last 16, they performed even worse. They needed a last-gasp wonder goal by Jude Bellingham to avoid a shock defeat to Slovakia, before Harry Kane headed in an extra-time winner for Southgate’s men.
Switzerland, on the other hand, have been one of Euro 2024′s most impressive performers. After being pipped to Group A top spot by hosts Germany, Murat Yakin’s side proceeded to dispatch defending champions Italy in the last 16. Albeit helped by an abject Italian display, the Swiss powered to a commanding win in Berlin, goals by Remo Freuler and Rubén Vargas earning a 2-0 triumph. Having reached the quarters for the second straight Euros, Switzerland are now out to qualify for their first ever major-tournament semi-final.
While the Swiss head into the last eight in much better form than England, they are going to have to halt a long run without victory in meetings with the Euro 2020 runners-up. England are unbeaten in their last 12 matches against Switzerland; they haven’t lost to the Nati since 1981. The teams have met twice before at the Euros: England were 3-0 winners on matchday two of the group stage in 2004, and the countries drew 1-1 in the opening game of the 1996 finals.
After surprisingly losing their final first-round game to Austria, the Netherlands had to settle for third place in Group D. However, the Dutch returned to form in the last 16. They eased past Romania, Cody Gakpo scoring one and Donyell Malen hitting a brace in a dominant, 3-0 victory in Munich. After securing their first win in a European Championship knockout tie since 2004, Ronald Koeman’s men now face a Turkey side who won’t be short on supporters in Berlin. After all, some 200,000 residents of the German capital are Turkish or of Turkish heritage.
Like the Netherlands, Turkey are in the quarter-finals of the Euros for the first time since 2008 – a tournament that was also the last time the Crescent-Stars reached the semi-finals of a major competition. After finishing second in Group F, the Turks progressed to Euro 2024′s last eight by beating Austria in an entertaining round-of-16 tie. Merih Derimal scored both his team’s goals in the 2-1 win – but he won’t be available to head coach Vincenzo Montella today. European soccer’s governing body, UEFA, has banned the defender for two games after he celebrated his match-winning display in Leipzig by making the “wolf salute”, a gesture associated with a Turkish right-wing extremist group.
This will be the Netherlands and Turkey’s first meeting at a major tournament. The Turks have won two of the teams’ last three clashes, but were thumped 6-1 in their most recent match-up, a 2021 World Cup qualifier in Amsterdam.
England vs Switzerland: Fox Network, TUDN USA, Univision, ViX
Netherlands vs Turkey: Fox Network, ViX
EURO 2024
EURO 2024
You can also stream every game at Euro 2024 on fuboTV, which offers users a free trial.
Enjoy the action on fubo.
The winners of today’s quarter-final ties will come up against each other in the Euro 2024 semi-finals, in Dortmund on Wednesday July 10. The victor in that last-four clash at the Allianz Arena will then advance to the final on Sunday July 14, at Berlin’s Olympiastadion.
About the author
William Allen
British journalist and translator who joined Diario AS in 2013. Focuses on soccer – chiefly the Premier League, LaLiga, the Champions League, the Liga MX and MLS. On occasion, also covers American sports, general news and entertainment. Fascinated by the language of sport – particularly the under-appreciated art of translating cliché-speak.
COPA AMÉRICA 2024
EURO 2024
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