UEFA Euro 2024: Group F Preview

We’re just a few days away from the start of Euro 2024 and PSN will have you covered on every front. Every goal, every minute, every piece of breaking news from all stages of the tournament will be covered.

To kick start our Euro’s coverage, we decided to preview every group before the tournament starts on Friday and it’s the turn of the final group, Group F, one that features 2 previous winners and a nation making their first-ever appearance at the Euros.

Euro 2024 Group F

Recent History

Czechia has been a mainstay in European football since the days when they weren’t even called Czechia. In recent times, they’ve definitely fallen off in terms of stature and quality, but this is the 11^th time they’ll be appearing in the Euros, and they did previously win the tournament back in 1976.

They reached the Euro 2024 by finishing runners-up to Albania in Group E. Albania and Czechia both finished on 15 points each, but Albania took the top spot with a better goal difference, just the two goals split them in the end.

Tactical Outlook

While the Czech Republic has switched to a back four at times, their preferred setup in recent times has been a back 3, more so in a 3-5-2 shape.

They do have the ability to slide out into a 3-4-3 shape, it all depends on if Antonin Barak is picked for the starting 11 or not, if Barak is then it’ll be a narrow 3-5-2 formation with Barak just in behind the front two strikers.

They’ll look to play their aggressive, high-pressing system that allows their wing-backs to bomb up and down the wings. They’ll also look to play for set pieces as they’re incredibly dangerous from them with the likes of Soucek, Schick, and Krejci all major threats from balls into the box.

Strengths and Weaknesses

As I just mentioned, Czechia is incredible from set-pieces, with serious aerial threats in the guys I just mentioned and the fact the standard of delivery is always top class from the likes of Antonin Barak and Vaclav Cerny. Czechia also has a solid backline that’ll help them defend well, but also a very good goalscorer in Patrik Schick.

Their weakness however is their creativity, which is really unfortunate for the side. While they can be dangerous from dead ball situations, in open play, they just can’t create the chances to really take advantage of having a solid backline and a proven goalscorer.

Euro 2024 Betting Odds

To qualify for the Knockout Round: -175
To reach the Quarterfinals: +350
To reach the Semifinals: +1500
To reach the Final: +5000
To win Euro 2024: +15000

Recent History

Georgia, the current sweethearts of European football, is a nation that was never taken seriously on the international stage and so they decided to make sure they were finally being noticed by the world when they qualified for the first-ever Euros.

Georgia qualified for their first-ever European Finals through the playoffs where they beat Greece on penalties 4-2, a result that was noticed around the world and a huge event for the entire nation of Georgia. Whatever happens for them, I’m just happy to see a new nation thriving and I’m adopting them as my 2^nd team.

Tactical Outlook

Since taking over the team back in 2021, ex-Bayern Munich defender Will Sagnol has switched his system up. He started out using a back four but switched to having a back 3 system, which turns into a back 5 when defending.

It’ll most likely look like a 5-3-2 when out of possession and then flip to a 3-5-2 with the ball. Georgia can defend really well and are incredibly passionate and disciplined when doing so. On the counterattack, they’re as scary as a lot of other nations in this tournament and could cause so major issues for their group opposition.

Strengths and Weaknesses

The strength of this team is how well of a team they are and how they effortlessly work together and make sure results happen. On the counterattack, they’re scary, with the likes of superstar Kvicha Kvaratskhelia leading the attack, Georgia can cause major damage to any of their group opponents.

Their weakness is a lack of quality around the squad and in the starting 11, with the fact that a lot of their player have never experienced a major tournament like this. That last part could be a good thing, we won’t know until they’re out there on the pitch, but it could cost them massively.

Euro 2024 Betting Odds

To qualify for the Knockout Round: +175
To reach the Quarterfinals: +1300
To reach the Semifinals: +5000
To reach the Final: +20000
To win Euro 2024: +50000

Recent History

Portugal has always been one of the big boys when it comes to European International football and proved that when they won this very competition back in 2016. Their 2020 defense of the tournament was a little lackluster, losing out in the Round of 16 to Belgium, and they’ll be looking to do better this time around.

They qualified for the finals after winning their qualification group, Group J. They had an incredible qualifying campaign, topping the group and finishing with a 100% record with 10 wins from 10 games, scoring 36 goals and somehow only conceding 2 goals.

Tactical Outlook

Roberto Martinez took over the Portuguese National Team after leaving the same role with Belgium and he started with a back 3 but has now switched to a back 4 and seems to be sticking with it, as he should with how dominant they’ve been in qualifying.

His options across his squad are as deep as you’d expect for a nation like Portugal. With AC Milan’s Rafael Leao and Manchester City’s Bernardo Silva flanking the obvious Cristiano Ronaldo through the middle, Martinez has flexibility with the likes of Goncalo Ramos and Joao Felix to pick from.

There are questions about how Martinez will set the team up during the tournament, with there being questions about him going with just a solo striker or a two-striker system. Also, no one is sure about who will partner Manchester City’s Ruben Dias at the back, he could go with youth and pick Goncalo Inacio, or he could go with the ever-present and still top-level 41-year-old Pepe.

Strengths and Weaknesses

The obvious strengths of this Portugal side are obvious for everyone to see. They have incredible talent all over the pitch, with the likes of Ruben Dias, Joao Cancelo, Bruno Fernandes, Cristiano Ronaldo, Rafael Leao etc etc.

However, they also have an extreme ruthlessness about them now with Martinez as their manager. A lot of top teams, even during qualifying, will slip up or not focus on some games here and there, but Portugal has been laser-focused every step of the way.

Euro 2024 Betting Odds

To qualify for the Knockout Round: -1600
To reach the Quarterfinals: -175
To reach the Semifinals: +150
To reach the Final: +350
To win Euro 2024: +750

Recent History

Turkey has been one of the most disappointing nations in the past decade or so for everyone around the world when it comes to major tournaments like the Euros and the World Cup. They’re always that dark horse that everyone looks at to pull off surprises, and then they always crash out and disappoint during the group stage.

The 2008 Semi-Finalists qualified for the tournament after winning Group D, beating Croatia to the top spot in the group by 1 point, after recording a 5-2-1 record in 8 games.

Tactical Outlook

In terms of tactics, Turkiye is coming into the tournament as a major unknown due to their recent manager situation. Current Turkey boss, Vincenzo Montella, has been in charge of the team for only 6 games, only 3 of them being competitive games.

It seems like Montella will be sticking to the usual 4-2-3-1 formation, which may slip into a 4-3-3 at times, but specific players with who Montella will fill his formation are really up in the air right now. There have only been 3 players who have played in all 6 of Montella’s games.

Strengths and Weaknesses

In terms of strengths, this Turkey side is coming in with a solid amount of talent, the type of talent that always seems to make them dark horses at every tournament they appear in. With the likes of one of my favorite players, Hakan Calhanoglu, young Real Madrid star Arda Guler, and Benfica standout Orkun Kokcu, they have the talent in the squad.

In terms of weakness, it’s the same old with Turkey, they just never turn up and perform at major tournaments and it’s always so frustrating. Another thing that may harm the team is the fact that they’ve only recently had Montella in charge, so players won’t be completely homed in on his system, compared to some of the other nations in the tournament whose managers have been there for a long time.

Euro 2024 Betting Odds

To qualify for the Knockout Round: -280
To reach the Quarterfinals: +275
To reach the Semifinals: +800
To reach the Final: +2500
To win Euro 2024: +7500

Euro 2024 Betting Odds

To qualify for the Knockout Round: +150
To reach the Quarterfinals: +550
To reach the Semifinals: +1,800
To reach the Final: +6,500
To win Euro 2024: +20,000