Things would have felt much differently going into the Euro 2020 tournament in its original position, but Covid-19 has forced a re-think and also means I am likely one of thousands of supporters who will now not be attending any games.
Tickets for the Netherlands opening game in Amsterdam and for three Group games in Budapest (which included Portugal vs France) had to be given back as well as the Last 16 tie and the first Semi Final where both games were set to be played at Wembley Stadium. Unfortunately the lack of a clear plan from the government about where we would stand by the start of the Euro 2020 tournament meant I was not really able to make the plans I would have liked and instead it will be a summer watching on television.
Which in the grand scheme of things is not the worst thing in the world.
Hopefully it will be warm weather and positive football played by teams which will ultimately produce a good summer, even while the majority of us still continue to feel the affects of a situation that has shaken us unexpectedly.
In this post you will be able to read how I feel the Groups will be settled and you will also be able to read my thoughts on the Match Day 1 Group games which are played from Friday through to the following Tuesday.
I will then have separate threads for the remaining two Match Days of the Groups and onto the Last 16, Quarter Final, Semi Final and finally err The Final.
Group A- any nation that has the advantage of playing three Group games at home are going to be a favourite to progress, but the form of Italy going into this tournament means they are something of a dark horse to go all the way to the title in one month from Friday.
You can never write off the Italians with any kind of confidence, but they are also a hard team to read considering they didn't even make the last World Cup and a transition has taken place overseen by Roberto Mancini. This is a far more attack minded Italian team than we are used to, but one with a solid base that is likely going to make them tough to beat.
They should have too much for Turkey, Switzerland and Wales to top the Group, but the foremost of those nations looks like another that could take the dark horse tag deep into the tournament. You just don't know what is always coming from a passionate team like Turkey who are capable of beating France and Holland one day, but then failing to do the same against Latvia on another.
The opening game between Switzerland and Wales may be the key to determining the fate of either of those nations, but it won't be easy for them to even earn a best third place spot if they are not able to take the full points from that fixture. Wales in particular could benefit from facing Italy last, especially if the hosts have already Qualified for the Last 16 and I would not write them off from earning another Knock Out place having reached the Semi Final in France five years ago.
Group B- before the injury to Kevin De Bruyne which could rule him out of at least one and possibly two of the Group games, I would have had Belgium down as a strong favourite to win this Group despite playing two hosts in the section.
They did the double over Russia in the Euro 2020 Qualifiers and managed the same against Denmark in the Nations League last Autumn, while Belgium's 'golden generation' look to have one or two more strong tournaments in them.
However, the injury might mean Belgium make a slightly slower start to the tournament, although I am not sure finishing 2nd wouldn't be anything but a bonus for them as long as France win Group F as expected.
Denmark are the team most likely to take advantage of any Belgian slip and host three Group games which should provide them at least six points. An opener against outsiders Finland give Denmark the platform to set up the tournament and I do think them and Belgium dominate proceedings.
Three years ago Russia surprised many with their performances at the World Cup they hosted, but the team has not really kicked on from there although they will feel they can earn at least one of the best third place finishes. Beating Finland will be key, but Russia may also feel a weakened Belgium could just be vulnerable in the opener and putting those together suggests this is a Group that can offer a pathway for three teams to make the Last 16.
Group C- if this tournament had been played in the last summer as scheduled, the Netherlands looked a much stronger prospect than the team taking on the event this summer. A first major tournament since the 2014 World Cup as well as three Group games in Amsterdam should see Holland through to the Last 16, but Frank de Boer does not inspire as manager of the national team.
Losing Virgil Van Dijk is a massive blow too and Holland look to be too reliant on mercurial Memphis Depay to go much further than the Quarter Final. However, the draw has been kind to them if they win the Group and that will be key for Holland.
Ukraine are perhaps better than most people realise having won a Qualifying Group containing Portugal and Serbia, and they could cause problems for the Netherlands in the opener.
Either way they should follow Holland through and both Austria and North Macedonia look to be making up the numbers. Those two face each other on Match Day 1 and the winner will give themselves and outside chance of earning a spot in the Last 16, although not many would tip them to go much further than that.
Group D- it's coming home and feelings of Euro 1996 will be rampant in England after Dublin's withdrawal as a host city has meant topping this Group will give England a chance of playing six of seven games at Wembley Stadium to win a first major prize since 1966.
However, topping the Group will likely mean facing either France/Portugal or Germany in the Second Round and then Spain in the Quarter Final suggesting it is perhaps better for England to give up home advantage for an easier path towards the Final.
No one will be thinking that way in the camp and England look like they are in a good section alongside Croatia, Czech Republic and Scotland. They have beaten Croatia here since the World Cup Semi Final defeat in the Nations League, while England have crushed the Czech Republic at Wembley Stadium in the Euro 2020 Qualifiers.
The game in between those two will be the one the fans are waiting for as England take on Scotland to further the comparisons with Euro 96, but managers of both nations will know they need to make sure they earn points from the other games to have a chance to progress.
Croatia are not the team they were and look to be in transition, but they are still plenty good enough to follow England into the Last 16, while the Scotland and Czech Republic opener is a big one for both teams who will be looking for a third place spot and a back route into the Last 16. Both of those nations have nothing to lose, but a draw in the opener would be a big blow for both and I think it would be difficult to win one of the other games to earn a path into the next Round.
It has been 23 years since Scotland last played in a major international tournament, and they have never progressed past the Group Stage, but I think they can make a bit of history here. Valiant defeats have been the past, but Steve Clarke can help Scotland secure the four points they will likely need to earn their place in the Last 16.
Group E- hosting games in Sevilla instead of Bilbao should give Spain an even stronger home advantage than they would have enjoyed a year ago, but there is pressure on the squad and manager after Luis Enrique failed to pick a single player from Real Madrid.
A Covid-19 outbreak before the tournament has not helped, but Spain are in a good section and there is still enough about them to top a Group containing Sweden, Poland and Slovakia.
The last of those look like one of the weaker teams in the Euro 2020 Finals and even earning a point might be a surprise.
Both Sweden and Poland will likely look at the other as the team to beat to progress, but that fixture is on Match Day 3 and assuming both have beaten Slovakia and lost to Spain, a 'convenient' share of the points can't be ruled out to take both through to the next Round.
The only way that could shake up is if there is a clear path for the team finishing 2nd rather than 3rd to earn a solid Knock Out Round draw, but that will become clearer before that fixture is played.
Group F- the 'Group of Death' contains a Germany team who will host three games in Munich and both the World and European Champions, but the Play Off win for Hungary looks to have created a clear 'weak' team in the four team section.
Assuming the top three all beat Hungary, a draw here and there should be enough for all to progress, although there looks to be a big benefit of winning the Group rather than finishing 2nd or 3rd.
Finishing 2nd would likely mean facing England at Wembley Stadium in the Second Round, while 3rd place could be paired with the winner of Group B (Belgium most likely) and that should keep all the fixtures competitive.
Germany look the weakest of the top three nations, but playing all three games at home should keep them on track to avoid a repeat of the Group Stage exit at the last World Cup. It may come down to the final game with Hungary, but that would be an immense amount of pressure on a squad and a manager that saw North Macedonia win a World Cup Qualifier in Germany in March.
Both France and Portugal look to have superior teams than the ones that competed in the Euro 2016 Final and I would not be that surprised if they met again on July 11th. Pragmatic managers are not that afraid of taking the handbrake of their teams and the talented attacking players they have and I think both teams are capable of winning this title.
Hungary will be pleased to get here, but have lost their best player to injury and it would be a huge boost for them to avoid finishing pointless in this section despite hosting both Portugal and France.
Friday 11th June
Italy vs Turkey Pick: The opening game of Euro 2020 will take place in 2021 and in Rome where Italy will host Turkey with plenty of expectations heaped on both nations from the fans at home.
Italy will have some of those inside the Stadium and I do think that is a huge boost for players that have been involved in long seasons playing soulless matches behind closed doors.
Their strong Qualifying performances as well as those in the Nations League means Italy have been seen as a dark horse, although I do think the top three teams (Portugal, France and Belgium) would eventually have too much for them.
Roberto Mancini has put together a good side with a nice balance between experience and youth and Italy have won plenty of matches, although they need a bit more consistency from their players in the final third to really win this tournament.
Turkey are another who impressed in Qualifying having taken four points from France in their Group and they thumped the Netherlands in a World Cup Qualifier in March. Both of the wins came at home though and I do wonder if there will be a touch of vulnerability about them on their travels.
They have players feeling good about themselves and some stand out defensive names, but even then Turkey are guilty of conceding plenty of goals over the last year and I do feel differently about them than I would have done a year ago. Turkey have conceded at least twice in 5 of their last 6 competitive fixtures, and they were beaten in Iceland in the Qualifying Group despite finishing above the nation that lit up the last European Championships.
I think the opener could actually be a really good game of football with two teams that do like to get forward and cause problems for the other. While Italy are something of an unknown and impressed from a distance, I do think there is plenty about them and they can open this tournament with a relatively high-scoring win.
Saturday 12th June
Wales vs Switzerland Pick: The travelling between Baku and Rome is not ideal preparation for the other three teams in Group A, but Switzerland have drawn the short straw of having the middle of the three Group games in Rome with the other two either side played in Azerbaijan.
That puts some pressure on Switzerland to make a strong start to the Group, but this is a team that has struggled for consistency and scoring enough goals.
It certainly feels like posing a major problem for the Swiss in this Group where they may find goals hard to come by anyway and I think they are vulnerable to upsets against Wales and Turkey.
Wales are perhaps not as good as the team that reached the Euro 2016 Semi Final as the likes of Joe Allen, Gareth Bale and Aaron Ramsey have been struggling for form and fitness, but they are a solid team as they showed when Qualifying for the tournament. Finishing behind Croatia, but ahead of Hungary and Slovakia has to be respected considering those two nations were able to come through the Play Offs and also reach the Finals.
A win over the Czech Republic in a World Cup Qualifier in March shows this is a team that is still well balanced defensively, but capable of finding winning goals in tight matches. That is going to be the game plan more often than not for Robert Page who continues to lead the national team in place of Ryan Giggs who is surely going to be facing the sack sooner than later after off the field indiscretions.
Even then, Wales have not allowed themselves to be distracted and I do think this team is capable of earning the four points they likely need to take their place in the Last 16 of the Euro Finals for the second tournament in succession. A win here would be very important towards that mark, but either way the Swiss look like a pretty short favourite despite the six wins in a row they have going into the tournament.
If the Welsh continue to defend as efficiently as they have been under Robert Page, I think Bale, Daniel James or A.N. Other can step up and find a big goal for them in this opening fixture. Winning might not be easy, but Wales can certainly avoid a defeat.
Denmark vs Finland Pick: It will be very difficult to match the Denmark team that won the Euro 1992 tournament as a late replacement for Yugoslavia, but this current crop of Danes can certainly make a big impact at this Euro Finals.
Playing three home Group games is a huge bonus for Denmark, but it is important they get off to a good start when facing what looks like the weakest of the four teams. Strong showings in the World Cup Qualifiers in March has only increased the expectation around this Denmark team and they do look like having the balance as well as the fan support to be very tough to beat over the next two weeks.
Those World Cup Qualifiers were impressive, but it was also Denmark's strong performances in the Nations League that would have raised some eyebrows, especially the four points taken from England. They are a team that has a very solid base, but there are some quality attacking options available too and a new positive approach has been rewarded with plenty of goals.
You can't draw a line through a debutant like Finland after seeing the successes that Iceland had five years ago, but it does feel that merely making the Euro Finals is a huge achievement for this nation. They have lost 3 in a row in friendly settings and have not won any of their last 6 overall, while Finland finished behind Wales in their Nations League Group having lost twice to them in that section.
Qualifying for the Euro 2020 Finals behind Italy was a strong showing from Finland, but this is a legitimate away game in the Group. They were beaten at Italy, Bosnia-Herzegovina and Greece and conceded at least twice in each of those games which is a big worry for Finland as they take on a quality looking Denmark team that will attack and look to score goals.
Opening games may have the feeling of being tight and competitive as teams don't want to give too much away, but Denmark can likely score twice in a win here as they get their campaign off to a positive start before hosting one of the favourites on Match Day 2.
Belgium vs Russia Pick: The only matches Russia failed to win when Qualifying for Euro 2020 both came against Belgium and the two losses to one of the favourites to win the tournament might have some fans fearing the worst in the opener.
Those matches were played in 2019 and it was Eden Hazard who was the scourge of the Russians with four goals against them. That included two in Russia in a 1-4 win for Belgium, but things have changed quite drastically for Hazard since then having moved to Real Madrid and his fitness concerns may mean Russia can ease some of their concerns.
Add in the injury that Kevin De Bruyne picked up in the Champions League Final which makes him a doubt for the opening game at Euro 2020 and Belgium may have one or two problems breaking down the hosts. There is still some real quality that Roberto Martinez can call upon and Belgium have shown off their depth in the World Cup Qualifiers in March, but they likely do need those two midfielders firing as quickly as possible,
It will be up to Youri Tielemens to pick the Russian back line in this one and I do think Belgium are likely going to be too strong, although the hosts will look back at their performances at the World Cup as to what they can achieve with home support.
Russia are a little one-dimensional, but they have a huge target man in Artem Dzyuba who can give Belgium something to think about when at his physical best.
You can imagine Russia will want to defend in numbers and ask Belgium to break them down, while looking to counter where they can and they did show at the last World Cup that they are willing to put in the yards to do that. It could make it tough for a Belgium team that knows Eden Hazard is short of his best and Kevin De Bruyne may be missing, but I think one of the leading favourites can find a way to earn the victory in St Petersburg with Romelu Lukaku leading the line.
I do think Russia will believe there is an opportunity for them and a point would be a massive result for them, especially with four of the third place teams earning a spot in the Last 16. With Finland and Denmark to come, Russia would take a point from the favourites, but it will also be important to avoid a heavy loss and I think a defensive performance will be in the offing from one of the two hosts in this Group.
However, I think Belgium are used to facing teams with that kind of mindset and they can find the goal or goals needed to win the fixture.
Sunday 13th June
England vs Croatia Pick: An opening game in Group D looks like one that could end up producing the eventual winner of the section, but both England and Croatia dare not lose this one either.
Having four of the third place teams making it through to the Last 16 will help both of these nations, but a defeat does build pressure right off the bat.
England have home advantage through the Group Stage and I do think that could be important for them to top the section. They have won 9 of their last 10 games at Wembley Stadium and England did beat Belgium and Poland here over the season which suggests they are confident even when taking on some of the better teams in Europe.
Three years ago this would have looked a tough challenge against a Croatia team who could dominate the ball and who had plenty of quality and experience littered throughout the eleven. While they still have some really good players, Croatia have lost some key members from the team that reached the World Cup Final and it has resulted in Croatia struggling for consistency ever since then.
The away form in particular has to be a concern for a team that is facing two legitimate away games in this Group and Croatia's performance in the last Nations League is a real concern. They were beaten at Portugal, France and Sweden in that Group, while the previous Nations League Group saw Croatia lose at Spain and here in England with all of those matches taking place since the last World Cup.
The lack of away wins is a concern, but Croatia have serious questions about a defence which has conceded at least twice in all 5 away Nations League defeats. They have also lost 1-0 at Slovenia in the opening World Cup Qualifiers played in March and I do think England have the quality in the final third to hurt this team.
Croatia may feel they can say the same about the England defence, but they have perhaps not had the same consistency as their hosts in the final third and that could be the difference on the day.
Both teams could play their part in this opening fixture, but two late goals helped England beat Croatia 2-1 here in a Nations League game in November 2018 and I think a similar scoreline may be the outcome of this one too.
Austria vs North Macedonia Pick: These nations actually met in the Euro 2020 Qualifying Group and it was Austria who won both games against North Macedonia while looking for redemption for a really poor showing at Euro 2016.
Five years ago Austria headed to France for the Euro 2016 Finals as one of the dark horses for the competition, but they were very disappointing and ended up being one of the first eight teams eliminated in the Group Stage. They struggled for form since then, but Austria have rounded into some form as they made their way back to another European Championship.
They also topped their last Nations League Group, but Austria have had a mixed start to the World Cup Qualifiers and there is not a lot of confidence back home. I have little doubt there is some quality in the squad, but Austria will need to make hay in their opening fixture if they are even going to challenge for one of the best third placed finishers in the Group Stage.
Those wins over North Macedonia will give Austria some confidence despite a poor run of form, but the underdogs have very little to lose in the tournament. That makes them potentially dangerous and anyone who thinks they will be a walkover could be in for a surprise if North Macedonia can replicate the performance back in March when beating Germany away from home in a World Cup Qualifier.
North Macedonia came through the Play Offs with a place offered to those nations that have historically struggled to compete for a spot at a major international tournament. The performances against teams of a similar level has helped the confidence of the North Macedonian players and this is a team that will feel they can challenge others by making sure they out-work opponents.
Ultimately it will come down to whether North Macedonia can defend well enough to keep Austria at bay, but they conceded six goals in two Qualifiers against this nation. Poland and Austria both did the double over North Macedonia in the Euro 2020 Qualifiers, while Romania beat them 3-2 in the World Cup Qualifiers just days before the huge upset over Germany.
All of the pressure looks to be on Austria, but the low-key manner in which they are going into this European Championship compared with five years ago can work in their favour. The Austrians should be able to create the chances to score the goals to win this game, although I would not be surprised if North Macedonia play their part in their first ever fixture at this level.
Netherlands vs Ukraine Pick: If this tournament had been played in the scheduled summer a year ago I do think the Netherlands would have had plenty of supporters behind them to go all the way as they made their return to a major international tournament. Since then things have changed and they lost their big name manager and their mainstay at centre half and the Netherlands now look like a team that will do well to even make the final four.
There is still some talent available, but Frank de Boer is hard to really trust as a manager.
Holland will at least benefit from being placed in a weak looking section and with three home games to come in the Group Stage I do think they will be more than good enough to work their way past their three opponents.
The most challenging nation in the Group may be Ukraine who Qualified ahead of Portugal and Serbia, but like the Dutch the feeling is that the Euro 2020 postponement has not really worked in their favour. It is hard to get a read of their form as they were relegated from their Nations League Group, but largely because of Covid issues decimating the squad, while Ukraine earned a draw at France in the World Cup Qualifiers in March before having to settle for the same result against Finland and Kazakhstan at home.
Andriy Shevchenko has made his team a tough one to face and Ukraine have plenty of positive results to look back upon since the last World Cup, but turning draws into wins is the big challenge for them. They don't score or concede a lot of goals, but this fixture is being played in Amsterdam and Ukraine are perhaps vulnerable any time they come across a host in this competiton.
Fortunately for the Ukraine they are only in a section with one host and I think they can still recover even if they are beaten by the Dutch.
Despite the inconsistencies that Holland have shown over the last several months under their new manager, this is a team that has some magic in it and they should have enough to edge past Ukraine. The feeling is that the Netherlands will need to score at least twice to do that, but the home fans have seen the team score five times in their last 2 friendlies in this country and I think Holland will get their first three points on the board on Sunday.
Monday 14th June
Scotland vs Czech Republic Pick: The second game in Group D of the Euro 2020 Tournament is played on Monday afternoon and this feels like a very important fixture for both Scotland and the Czech Republic.
Both will likely know they are going to be underdogs against the other two teams in the Group, but three points could be enough to secure one of the best third place finished and a path into the Last 16. That will increase the pressure on both Scotland and Czech Republic as they will likely view the other as the best opportunity to secure those three points and I think that makes this a tough game to get a grip on.
Having home advantage has to be important for Scotland, especially with the fans in attendance, and Steve Clarke will likely be reminding his players that the game against England coming up later in the week cannot be a distraction. The manager has certainly got his Scotland team to come together pretty well and they have been tough to beat at Hampden Park since the back to back losses to Belgium and Russia in the Qualifying Group.
The Czech Republic will know about that having suffered a narrow 1-0 defeat here in the Nations League in October 2020 and their away form is a slight concern. They lost 3 of their 4 away Qualifying games despite finishing behind England in the Group and one of those was a defeat at Wembley, while the Czech Republic have also lost at Wales in March in a World Cup Qualifier.
There is no doubting the talent that the Czech Republic can call upon, but that inconsistency on their travels is a concern with two away games to come in the Group Stage at Euro 2020. Losing 3 games in the UK without scoring a goal is another mental obstacle to overcome and I can see Steve Clarke looking to frustrate the visitors and looking for Scotland to take advantage of the defensive errors which can come from this Czech Republic team.
It may come down to which of these teams handles the pressure the best on the day, but Scotland are going to have the backing from the stands. They have been decent at home of late and facing an inconsistent team, I can see Scotland finding a way to edge to a victory although they will have to weather a storm at some point.
Backing the Scots as an underdog on the Asian Handicap looks the play even if history suggests Scotland are more likely to lose this game, beat England and then miss Qualification for the Last 16 by losing another home game against Croatia.
Poland vs Slovakia Pick: A strong Qualifying campaign has taken Poland back into the Euro Finals, but the nation were not happy with the style and it was never going to be a happy ending for Jerzy Brzeczek when Robert Lewandowski voiced his own concerns.
An attacking minded manager has come in, but Paulo Sousa has not had a lot of time to manage the national team and Poland's mixed performances in the World Cup Qualifiers make you wonder how far this side can go in the Euro 2020 Finals despite having Lewandowski leading the line.
Poland did reach the Quarter Final of the Euro 2016 and they were only beaten on Penalties by eventual Champions Portugal, but the terrible performance at the last World Cup has just lowered expectations.
They should be good enough to get out of this section, but you do feel the opening fixture against Slovakia is going to be a huge one for Poland. Anything less than the three points and there will be a pressure on them when they head to Sevilla to take on Spain next week, but Poland could not have really asked for a better opening opponent.
Slovakia Qualified with a Penalty Shoot Out success over the Republic of Ireland and followed up with an Extra Time win over Northern Ireland in the Play Offs. A poor Nations League campaign saw them relegated from League B, while Slovakia have continued to struggle for goals which makes them vulnerable.
Marek Hamsik's best days are behind him and the feeling is that Slovakia are going to try and grind teams down mentally by keeping a strong defensive shape and hoping something breaks on the counter attack or from a set piece.
However, in Robert Lewandowski, Poland do have a striker that can take any chance that does drop his way and the feeling is that the favourites will have a little too much firepower and attacking intent to force Slovakia to crack. The Poland defence might be vulnerable as this tournament progresses, but they should have enough to edge past Slovakia in this opening fixture and at least mean they are in a good position to Qualify for the Last 16 when facing Sweden here a week on Wednesday.
Spain vs Sweden Pick: The decision to move the Spanish host games from Bilbao to Seville should actually give Spain a bigger advantage than they would have been enjoying anyway in this Group.
They are not only favourites to progress, but Spain will be expected to top the Group which should earn them a relatively decent Last 16 tie. However, this is not the Spain that dominated international football between 2008-2012 and a transitional period has seen them struggle once they have gotten to the Finals much as they were known to do before that period.
Spain have reached the Nations League Semi Final which will take place later this season, but a poor set of results in the World Cup Qualifiers in March and the decision made to not include any members from Real Madrid has put the pressure on Luis Enrique.
While the team have not made the Quarter Final of a major tournament since winning Euro 2012, Spanish fans are expecting a run to that stage as a bare minimum with the way the draw has panned out for them.
Winning the Group will be important, but Spain have also been dealing with a Covid-19 issue in the camp which has ruled out Sergio Busquets for at least the opening match. The squad are set to be vaccinated, but the manager has been upset with the timing in case it leads to any adverse symptoms for key players and Spain are not coming into the tournament as comfortably as they may have been hoping.
They did beat Sweden twice in the Qualifying Group for the Euro 2020 Finals, but they should respect the Scandinavians who will work hard and have some young talent who will be looking to have a breakout tournament. Zlatan Ibrahimovic is out of the tournament with an injury, but there looks to be a solid mindset going into the Euro 2020 Finals and Sweden were World Cup Quarter Finalists three years ago.
These teams will meet again in the World Cup Qualifiers later this year, but home advantage should be key for Spain who took four points from Sweden in the Euro 2020 Qualifiers. Three second half goals secured the 3-0 win for Spain at home, but this one should be a bit tighter considering the build up for the hosts.
In saying that, I do think Spain are going to have a touch too much for Sweden and they can at least ease some of the pressure that has been building with a good start to Euro 2020.
Tuesday 15th June
Hungary vs Poland Pick: Group F looks like it is going to be a real battle for the top two places and even earning one of the best third places spot will come down to the wire.
France and Germany are the other two teams in the section, but Hungary look like being the outsiders even though they are benefiting from two home games in the Group Stage.
The first one for Hungary is against Portugal, but losing Dominik Szoboszlai is a major blow for a nation that had to come through the Play Off against Iceland to reach the Euro 2020 Finals. Hungary needed two late goals to come from behind and beat Iceland that day, but manager Marco Rossi is going to have to curb his attacking intent if he is going to give Hungary a chance.
It might be against the logic though as Hungary may not have any other choice but to go after the other teams in the Group with draws not likely to be good enough to earn a spot in the Last 16. The chances are that Hungary will need to win at least one of the Group matches and they will be hoping to perhaps catch either Portugal or France peeking past them.
The defending European Champions should be experienced enough to avoid that though and manager Fernando Santos is plenty knowledgable about Tournament Football and how to approach it. He will likely know Portugal need to have a good start to the Tournament and can't really rely on draws like they did to win Euro 2016, but Fernando Santos does benefit from a much stronger squad than the one that won the title in France five years ago.
I expect the likes of Ruben Dias, Joao Cancelo and Bruno Fernandes to have benefited from the last season with the experiences they had and Portugal look to be more than Cristiano Ronaldo this time around. They will still rely on the goals of Ronaldo, but others can chip in and Portugal's performances in the Nations League will be encouraging as they take on this Group Stage.
Portugal have shown their cutting edge in front of goal and that makes them dangerous in this Tournament, although there is a pressure to get off to a good start. They have won 3 previous matches played in Hungary including in the 2018 World Cup Qualifiers which should help, and Portugal have won 4 of their last 6 away games in competitive fixtures and have scored at least twice in 5 of those 6 games too.
I do have to respect the fact that Hungary can be difficult to play in Budapest and they do score goals here. However, Russia and Poland have both scored three times here in the last season and I think Portugal are a stronger team than both of those so they can certainly score at least twice, which is what they may need to secure the win.
Marco Rossi is a manager that likes his team to play attacking football which could make the opener a fun game, but my feeling is that Portugal are a genuine contender to win this title and can open up with a vital victory.
France vs Germany Pick: There are some wonderful fixtures to come throughout the Group Stage of the Euro 2020 Finals, but the opening round of fixtures may be saving the best for last.
Germany and France are dominant European nations that have won plenty of major titles between them, although at this stage it looks like France are on the up and Germany may have to wait until Qatar 2022 or the next European Championships they host before they are genuine title contenders again.
You can never rule out Germany, but this team looks to be lacking something and it may need Joachim Low's departure to just freshen things up. That will happen after this Tournament no matter how it ends, and the inconsistencies of the German national team since the horrible effort at the last World Cup means many fans are not expecting big things from them.
They might be hosting three Group games, but Germany have not been helped by what looks to be a terrible draw as they face European Champions Portugal and World Champions France in the opening stages. There could be some real pressure on Germany when it comes to hosting Hungary in the final Group game if they cannot get a lot of change out of France and Portugal and this opener looks a very difficult game.
Germany are still struggling at the back and now face a France team which looks to be loaded with talent and depth and one that is looking to win back to back major international tournaments. Didier Deschamps was still Captaining his nation when they did that in 1998 and 2000 and he will be looking to pass on his experience to a quality team that are rightly considered favourites along with Belgium.
While Germany struggled with the better nations faced in League A of the Nations League, France have actually played really well and Qualified for the final stages of the 2021 edition of the newly created competition. They won away games at Sweden, Croatia and Portugal last Autumn and France have enjoyed visits to Germany over the years which should give them confidence for the opening fixture of Euro 2020.
It is a really intriguing fixture for both of these nations and could set the tone for the entire tournament- a win for Germany may see the players given a huge boost of confidence to take forward, while France will be looking to show they are the team to beat after winning the World Cup three years ago.
My feeling is that the France pace in the final third is going to really worry the Germans and that can see them hold the edge. They look defensively more sound than the hosts and France can take a big step towards the Last 16 by winning here.
While France can throw in a shocking performance, I think the historical strength of Germany keeps them focused in this fixture and I think France edge to a narrow win in Munich.
MY PICKS: Italy to Win & Over 1.5 Total Goals @ 1.80 Bet365 (2 Units)
Wales + 0.5 Asian Handicap @ 1.73 Bet Victor (2 Units)
Denmark to Win & Over 1.5 Total Goals @ 1.83 Bet365 (2 Units)
Belgium @ 1.83 Sky Bet (2 Units)
England to Win & Over 1.5 Total Goals @ 2.15 Bet365 (2 Units)
Austria to Win & Over 1.5 Total Goals @ 2.37 Bet365 (2 Units)
Netherlands to Win & Over 1.5 Total Goals @ 2.10 Bet365 (2 Units)
Scotland 0 Asian Handicap @ 1.98 Bet Victor (2 Units)
Poland & Under 5 Total Goals @ 2.00 Bet365 (2 Units)
Spain & Under 4 Total Goals @ 1.95 Bet365 (2 Units)
Portugal & Over 1 Total Goal @ 1.83 Bet365 (2 Units)
France 0 Asian Handicap @ 1.89 Bet Victor (2 Units)
