HAMBURG – Reigning champions Italy have vowed to play with “pride” after being placed in the same group as Spain in the Dec 2 draw for Euro 2024, while France will come up against the Netherlands and England avoided any of the traditional powerhouses.
Gareth Southgate’s much-fancied Three Lions will meet Slovenia, Denmark and Serbia, with hosts Germany taking on Scotland in the tournament’s opening game on June 14 in Munich. The final will be in Berlin on July 14.
Italy, who beat England on penalties at Wembley in the final of the last European Championship in 2021, and Spain will also face Croatia and Albania in Group B.
The Italians were always likely to face a difficult draw after being placed in the bottom pot based on their results in qualifying, when they scraped through with a 0-0 stalemate against Ukraine in their final match.
“When you’re in the fourth pot you know you have a lot of teams ahead of you, but you can’t forget you represent Italy and you have to play every match with pride,” coach Luciano Spalletti said.
“A tough group, it is difficult to make predictions now, there are many months to go. Croatia is strong and experienced. Spain? Anyone who loves this sport must enjoy the challenge, otherwise you lose all the pleasure of football.”
The meeting of France, 2022 World Cup runners-up, and the Dutch is the other heavyweight tie of the opening phase.
They were in the same qualifying group, with France winning both encounters. They are in Group D along with Austria and a play-off winner, one of Poland, Wales, Finland or Estonia.
Les Bleus coach Didier Deschamps was wary of the Dutch, highlighting how they almost beat eventual winners Argentina at the 2022 Qatar World Cup.
England, in contrast, will have few complaints about their Group C opponents, although a Denmark side 19th in the world were arguably the team to avoid from Pot 2.
The English, considered the favourites along with France for the tournament, will take on Serbia in their opening game in Gelsenkirchen on June 16.
“You can look at it on paper but the games aren’t played on paper,” said Southgate. “One or two teams you are glad to avoid, especially in Pot 3, Pot 4, but all the teams we play are more than capable.
“We’ve developed a lot as a team over the past few years, we’re used to these big games, we’re ready for the expectation and we hope we can give our supporters some more brilliant nights.”
If England and France top their respective groups, the two sides would find themselves on the same side of the draw in the knockout phase and would be on course to meet in the semi-finals.
Scotland, who lost to Brazil in the opening match of the 1998 World Cup, will again have the honour of featuring in the tournament’s curtain-raiser when they meet Germany to start in Group A.
Hungary and Switzerland complete that section, which could be one of the most evenly-matched.
Germany have been European champions three times, a record shared with Spain, but there are big doubts about their form. They have won just three of 11 matches since a second successive World Cup group-stage exit.
“It will be a very nice start against Scotland in Munich. The other games will also be exciting duels. It’s not a group of death, but a very good one,” said coach Julian Nagelsmann.
Euro 2016 winners Portugal were drawn in Group F with Turkey, the Czech Republic and a play-off winner from either Greece, Georgia, Luxembourg or Kazakhstan.
Belgium are in Group E alongside Slovakia, Romania and the winner of the other play-off path, which will be Israel, Iceland, Bosnia and Herzegovina or Ukraine.
The month-long Euro will be played in 10 cities across Germany. Previously, West Germany hosted the 1988 edition. AFP
