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Euro 2024 Group E; Belgium's Favoritism Tested by Eastern European Upstarts!

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Euro 2024 Group E; Belgium's Favoritism Tested by Eastern European Upstarts!
Welcome to Group E, often seen as the dark horse of Euro 2024. This group features Belgium, Ukraine, Slovakia, and Romania. Many might predict an effortless advance for Belgium, but don't be too sure. Ukraine, Slovakia, and Romania each bring unique strengths that could challenge Belgium. Additionally, Belgium is entering the tournament with an untested lineup on the grand stage. Could we be in for some unexpected twists in Group E?

Euro 2024 Group E teams: Belgium, Ukraine, Slovakia, Romania. Will Belgium's young squad secure victory, or can Ukraine, Slovakia, or Romania cause an upset?

Despite Belgium's esteemed "golden generation," coaches Marc Wilmots and Roberto Martinez failed to secure any silverware. Now, the responsibility falls on 38-year-old Domenico Tedesco. He faces the formidable challenge of leading the Red Devils to victory and finally capturing those elusive trophies.
Their once-dominant golden generation now includes only a few veterans: Axel Witsel, Jan Vertonghen, Kevin De Bruyne, and Romelu Lukaku. The rest of the squad features fresh faces like Jeremy Doku, Johan Bakayoko, Arthur Vermeeren, and Amadou Onana, all 22 years old or younger. Under former Leipzig coach Domenico Tedesco, this youthful Belgian team has shown promise, going undefeated in the qualifying rounds with 22 goals scored and only four conceded. Tedesco's tactical acumen has been key to these results. He employs various formations, such as 4-3-3, 4-2-3-1, 3-4-3, and 3-4-2-1. In their final warm-up match against Luxembourg, Tedesco used these tactics effectively, relying on Kevin De Bruyne as the linchpin of their attack, supported by creative talents like Trossard, Doku, De Katelere, and Johan Bakayoko. Up front, Romelu Lukaku remains the primary striker, with Lois Openda, who netted 24 goals for Leipzig this season, ready to step in. However, there is a vulnerability in Belgium's setup that opponents might exploit: their defensive line. Real Madrid goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois is absent, and they continue to depend on the 37-year-old defender Jan Vertonghen.
Tedesco has expressed his readiness to take full responsibility for his team's defensive lineup. He believes that scoring a lot of goals will be key to their success. His immediate goal is for Belgium to advance from the group stage, avoiding the fate of Roberto Martinez, who couldn't lead Belgium past the group stage in the 2022 World Cup. 

According to the Supercomputer Opta, Belgium is heavily favored to progress from this group, with a 90% chance of advancing. Their toughest competition is expected to come from Ukraine. Despite reaching Euro 2024 through the playoffs, Sergiy Rebrov's squad is given a 69.9% chance by Opta to join Belgium in advancing. This prediction is reasonable given Ukraine's solid player lineup and their experience of reaching the quarterfinals in Euro 2020. Under Rebrov, Ukraine is poised to be a formidable dark horse, bolstered by top La Liga scorer Artem Dovbyk, his Girona teammate Viktor Tsygankov, and the talented Mykhailo Mudryk.
In Ukraine's defensive line, notable Premier League defenders like Zabarnyi, Mykolenko, and Zinchenko anchor the backline. This solidity was evident when Ukraine held Germany to a 0-0 draw in a pre-Euro test match. Additionally, Real Madrid's Andriy Lunin stands as a reliable guardian in goal. Since Sergiy Rebrov took charge in 2023, Ukraine has adopted a more aggressive attacking style, typically using formations like 4-3-3 or 4-2-3-1. According to The Athletic, beyond their dynamic wingers, the role of the Ukrainian attacking midfielder is crucial. Rebrov consistently relies on 21-year-old Heorhiy Sudakov from Shakhtar to orchestrate the team's attacks. 

Rebrov also has experienced players like Andriy Yarmolenko, Ruslan Malinovsky, and Roman Yaremchuk at his disposal, whose individual skills can change the game. To enhance their chances of advancing from this group, Ukraine must secure full points against Romania and Slovakia in their first two matches before facing Belgium. 

However, this will not be easy, as Romania poses a significant threat. They qualified for Euro 2024 by topping their group standings. Despite a 57.4% chance to progress, Romania's quality under coach Edward Iordanescu should not be underestimated. They aim to replicate their success from Euro 2000, where they reached the quarterfinals and even defeated England. Romania's strength lies in their defense, having conceded only five goals during the qualifiers. According to The Analyst, their concession rate is just 0.50 goals per game, trailing only Portugal (0.20) and France (0.38). Central defenders Radu DraguΘ™in and Andrei Burca, who started in all 10 qualifying matches, are key to this robust defense.

Romania frequently employs a 4-1-4-1 formation, stacking players in defense and midfield. This Iordanescu-style tactic can present a significant challenge for Ukraine, as Romania often plays defensively, aiming for draws. In their two pre-Euro friendlies against Bulgaria and Liechtenstein, they managed only 0-0 draws, reflecting their focus on defense rather than attack.

Besides Romania, Slovakia also poses a threat, especially to Belgium in their first match. Slovakia recently thrashed Wales 4-0 in a friendly, showcasing their potential. Despite being considered underdogs, Francesco Calzona's team should not be underestimated. Supercomputer Opta predicts Slovakia to be the group's wildcard with a 51.5% chance of advancing. Slovakia's experienced lineup includes PSG defender Milan Skriniar, Feyenoord's David Hancko, Newcastle goalkeeper Martin Dubravka, and midfielders Ondrej Duda and Juraj Kucka. Up front, Boavista striker Robert Bozenic leads the attack. Utilizing a 4-3-3 formation, Slovakia lost only twice in the Euro qualifiers, both times to Portugal, winning all other matches without any draws.

Belgium must remain vigilant against Slovakia. Any lapse in concentration could allow Slovakia to steal points, altering the dynamics of the group. With the threats posed by Slovakia, Ukraine, and Romania, Belgium cannot afford to be complacent. Will Belgium still qualify easily from this group, or could the other teams spring a surprise? Football fans eagerly await the unfolding drama.


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