Euro 2020 knockout stage: tips and preview

The colourful and surprising group stage has been wrapped up in the EURO 2020 football championships. So it's a good time to take a closer look at the tips for advancing and anticipate the knockout rounds!

We will briefly summarize each match-up in the first round of the knockout stage in a couple of sentences, while also considering the brackets and championship bets at the end. We will proceed in chronological order, starting with the match between Wales and Denmark.

Saturday 26.6 Wales – Denmark

This time we won't trust the Welsh tiger, unlike Paula Koivuniemi in her song. Securing second place in the group on goal difference above Switzerland was already a great achievement for the team, demonstrating that their disciplined defensive and counter-attacking play is one of their greatest strengths. They will face Denmark, a team that has been much in the headlines of the tournament, which took a sensational 4-1 victory in their last group match after a convincing performance. The Danes' start to the tournament was by no means easy for various reasons, but it must be remembered that they belong to the top 8 teams in terms of quality. Now that the ketchup bottle has been opened, we believe Denmark will advance confidently.

Score prediction: Wales 0 – Denmark 2 – odds

Bet: Denmark (1X2) 1.86 Burningbet

Saturday 26.6 Italy – Austria

There’s no need to waste more time or words on this match. Italy was perhaps the most convincing team in the group stages alongside Belgium, and Austria will be just a snack on their way to the next rounds. The Azurri will advance from this pair nine times out of ten.

Score prediction: Italy 2 – Austria 0

Bet: Austria under 0.5 goals 1.80 FezBet

Sunday 27.6 Netherlands – Czech Republic

This match is expected to be one of the freshest encounters in the round of 16. The Netherlands has shown the most vibrant attacking play throughout the tournament, and the Czech Republic has also played quite entertaining football. Goals can therefore be expected at both ends, but Oranje will ultimately bulldoze their way through. This is also one of the best betting opportunities, and the betting bonuses for recycling are a very effective choice!

Score prediction: Netherlands 3 – Czech Republic 1

Bet: Over 2.5 goals 1.91 iBet

Sunday 27.6 Belgium – Portugal

This is a real treat! Portugal's fate was to finish third in the "group of death" after suffering a defeat to Germany in a high-scoring match. They didn’t play poorly either, but this time the opposition is very tough. Belgium proved in the group stage that they are worthy of their status as favourites, but Portugal has a small chance in set pieces. A slight home advantage can be given to the Red Devils, as Seville is located very close to the border. On the other hand, Belgium had two more days of rest. Without major mistakes, Belgium will force their way through this pair with the fiery Romelu Lukaku and the recovered Kevin De Bruyne's bromance flourishing.

Score prediction: Belgium 2 – Portugal 1

Bet: no bets

Monday 28.6 Croatia – Spain

This is a really interesting pairing. Both are long-term successful teams in Europe and worldwide, but both are undergoing a significant generational change. For both, the game looked sluggish in the early rounds of the group stage, but in their final matches, both secured the necessary victory for a knockout spot. I have to say, this is going to be a real coin toss.

Score prediction: Croatia 1 – Spain 1 (90 min)

Bet: no bets

Monday 28.6 France – Switzerland

If Les Bleus do not succumb to arrogance, they should handle Switzerland easily. This game is going to be just as one-sided, but on the other hand, solid team defense and counter-attacking are among the Alpine nation's greatest strengths. This may not be the easiest evening task, but France has shown they can break through any defense, whether the ball is played on the ground or through the air.

Score prediction: France 2 – Switzerland 0

Bet: no bets

Tuesday 29.6 England – Germany

Oh, this is a classic of the tournaments! England and Germany will clash in the first match of the final day, and there’s tension in the air. Since the wars, this has always been one of the hottest duels filled with fire and fury. This time, one of the great nations will see their tournament end here, and there will surely be precise and tentative play at least in the opening minutes. England starts as the favourite, but unfortunately, they have often melted under the most intense pressure in such situations. Joachim Löw's time at the helm of Die Mannschaft is coming to an end, and although time may have passed him by a bit, he is still one of the greatest tactical wizards in the sport. This is going to be a fierce battle! England will accumulate a lot of play, and in terms of odds, Germany is starting to feel like an attractive bet.

Score prediction: England 1 – Germany 2

Bet: Germany to advance 2.00 iBet

Tuesday 29.6 Sweden – Ukraine

The round of 16 may be wrapped up with a sort of anticlimax as Sweden faces Ukraine. These two blue and yellow teams could hardly be further apart. Sweden plays very disciplined and clinical football, while Ukraine is a typical Slavic culture that can cough up a handful of goals on a good day against anyone thanks to their skilled individuals. An old saying goes that you win games by attacking, but you win championships by defending. In tough situations, discipline often decides, so our western neighbour may be closer to a knockout spot.

Score prediction: Sweden 1 – Ukraine 0

Bet: Sweden to advance 1.75 Cocos Casino

Championship Bets

Currently, the bracket heavily favours the teams in the lower half. For example, Belgium and Italy are likely to meet in the quarter-finals, after which the winner of that match will probably face the reigning world champion France in the semi-finals. Thus, the most convincing teams of the tournament so far will be eliminating each other one by one in surely tough matches all the way to the final. In the lower bracket, the path is wide open for the teams of England, Germany, and the Netherlands. On the other hand, why couldn't Denmark surprise? Perhaps the most eye-catching are Germany's odds over 7.00 and Denmark's championship odds approaching 20.00. The idea is to put euros on the lower bracket teams that have an "easier" path to the final.

Bets: Germany 7.20 Burningbet – Denmark to reach the final 7.80 FezBet