2016 UEFA Euro Championship Preview & Tips
One of the most long awaited football (soccer) tournaments is all set to kick-off as the European Championships (Euro 2016) will get underway in France on Saturday morning. The tournament opener will be played between hosts France and Romania and should prove to be a spectacular tournament for soccer fans.
The month long tournament will pit 24 nations in six groups with the top two from each group proceeding to the knockout stages along with four best third-placed teams. The format is a treat for football fans with more matches and greater opportunity for favourites to stay longer in the tournament.
Spain are the double-defending Champions but have an poor recent form that could be an obstacle for their third continental bid. But with a star-studded squad that is one of the most experienced, Spain is a huge contender for the tournament. Players like Andres Iniesta, Gerard Pique and Cesc Fabregas give them an invincible look. But can they overcome the recent poor record to maintain their supremacy on the Euros? Odds of $6.00 put Spain a little behind on expectations.
France have a very talented squad and come into the tournament having won the 1998 World Cup and 1984 Euros in their own backyard. With exciting playmakers like Paul Pogba, Dimitri Payet and Antoine Griezmaan at his disposal, manager Didier Deschamps will look to live up to the expectations of the home crowd. At odds of $4.20 at Ladbrokes, the hosts are a favourite for the title and look a good bet to hit the back of the net.
Then of course is the eternal continental favourite Germany! The current World Champions have a well-oiled team and should be one of the strong contenders for the title. Thomas Muller and Mesut Ozil add a lot of creativity to the side and Joachim Low will be quietly confident of a successful campaign. Anything less than a semi-final appearance would be a failure for this talented side. Odds of $5.00 make them an interesting choice.
Among others, England will embark on another mission to break their duck in Euros. But their recent history of disappointments in major tournaments put question marks on their progress. Belgium has one of the strongest teams with an array of talented players assembled from top clubs across Europe. Managing a cohesive performance is the challenge for Marc Wilmots.
Expansion of the tournament to 24 teams may have diluted the intensity but there would be no lack of excitement with surprise packages like Iceland, Austria and Albania ready to prove that they are no pushovers. On the whole, Euro 2016 promises to be engaging for all football lovers.
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