After 44 games of Euro 2020, we are down to the last eight and on Friday and Saturday we will see the semi-finals take shape.
Is football coming home?
Well, perhaps, but first England must face Ukraine in Rome on Saturday, to keep their eternal hopes of glory on track. The Three Lions are currently overwhelming favourites to reach the last four for successive major tournaments, at 4/9 with Betway.
But Andriy Shevchenko is breaking footballing ground also in his home country, and for a side who will be massive underdogs to reach Wembley next Wednesday, the Ukrainians will be tricky opponents on neutral turf of the Stadio Olimpico.
Should you choose to back the Ukrainians, you can get eye-opening 9/1 odds with UniBet.
Belgium versus Italy is surely the tie of the round meanwhile, and there is precious little in quality separating the two nations. The markets agree, but though the Red Devils are ranked the best side in the world, it is the Azzurri priced at the shorter 7/5 with MansionBet.
MansionBet have Belgium at 12/5 however, an equally enticing price.
Goals should be the order of the day here also and for those who like their Both Players to Score markets, for both Ciro Immobile and Romelu Lukaku both to find the net, you can get an extremely appealing 7/1 with Bet365.
Switzerland meanwhile were not expected to be in this position of quarter-finalists, but after stunning France on penalties earlier this week, will fear nobody. Spain stand between them and a last four date at Wembley, and look very interesting value at 9/2 with all three of Bet365, Betfair and MansionBet.
The fourth quarter-final sees Denmark facing off against the Czechs, who knocked out the Netherlands last time out. Since Christian Eriksen’s harrowing collapse in the Danes’ opening game of the tournament, The Red and White sneaked into the knockouts and disposed of Wales with ease in the last 16.
At 13/11 with SBK, all other major bookies have Denmark at 11/10 to make the trip to London next week.
If we are looking more widely, Denmark are still 11/1 outright with Betway to lift the Henri Delaunay trophy a week on Sunday, and repeat their Euro ’92 heroics. And make no mistake, with a wave of emotion and support carrying the team, that could happen.
The Czechs meanwhile, also have their own history in this tournament having reached the final of Euro ’96, and after beating Oranje, have shown they can topple teams that will go on the front foot. That is what you will get with the Danes, and accordingly, their 3/1 price with Betfred, VBet and Unibet may yet look a shrewd punt.
