EUROPEAN CHAMPIONSHIP-6.28

MON 28 JUN 2021EUROPEAN CHAMPIONSHIP – ROUND OF 16(All times are UK)

Croatia 17:00 Spain

Venue: Telia Parken

Croatia head coach Zlatko Dalic says his side must “stand up to” Spain when they face each other in the last 16 of the European Championship on Monday.

World Cup runners-up Croatia are looking to reach the quarter-finals for the third time.

Three-time European champions Spain have failed to reach the last eight in their last three major tournaments.

They lost to Italy at this stage in 2016, while Croatia were defeated by eventual champions Portugal.

Croatia qualified for the knockout stages as runners-up of Group D, with one win in three games, while Spain finished second in Group E.

“Spain showed real quality against Slovakia,” said Croatia’s Dalic. “They are a young, fast, energetic team.

“They base their play on a high press with lots of passing, but we have our own qualities. It won’t be easy for them either.

“We can stand up to them. We will need to remember that attack can be a means of defence.”

Spain forward Dani Olmo spent five years at Croatian club Dinamo Zagreb and he says their opponents are “lion-hearted”.

“In every sport they play, Croatians are always very competitive, they are lion-hearted and give everything for their country,” he added.

“They really appreciate every objective they achieve. They have proven themselves in this Euros and in other tournaments, they thrive in difficult situations. There’s no favourite in this fixture, it’s anyone’s game.”

Croatia will be without Ivan Perisic after the 32-year-old winger tested positive for Covid-19.

The two sides kick-off at 17:00 BST in Copenhagen’s Parken Stadium, with the winner setting up a quarter-final tie with either France or Switzerland in St Petersburg on 2 July.

MON 28 JUN 2021EUROPEAN CHAMPIONSHIP – ROUND OF 16(All times are UK)

France 20:00 Switzerland

Venue: National Arena

France boss Didier Deschamps has warned his players should not “under-estimate” Switzerland and is preparing to overcome mounting injuries before Monday’s Euro 2020 last-16 tie.

Deschamps saw two left-backs – Lucas Hernandez and Lucas Digne – go off injured in their final group game against Portugal.

For Monday’s game in Bucharest, French media feel he will use a new formation.

It is thought Deschamps is considering a move to 3-5-2.

That would include Benjamin Pavard and midfielder Adrien Rabiot used as wing backs.

Deschamps – bidding to become the first man to win both the World Cup and European Championship as player and coach – has warned his side must simply “be at our best”.

“We mustn’t under-estimate them and it’s a knockout game so we’ll have to do everything we can to ensure we have smiles on our faces at the end of the match,” said Deschamps, 52.

“They’re a well-structured team and they have good attacking potential with Seferovic, Embolo and Shaqiri.”

France are unsure on the fitness of Digne and Hernandez, have lost Ousmane Dembele to a knee injury for the rest of the tournament, while Marcus Thuram and Thomas Lemar are also nursing injuries.

Juventus’ Rabiot is also carrying a knock but despite the mounting injuries, France are still big favourites to progress past a side who have not reached the last eight of a major tournament in 67 years. A quarter-final against Spain or Croatia awaits the winners.