As both the Three Lions and the Azzurri are too hard to separate in the betting, there is little value in placing either side to win the final, so instead, the individual markets could make for more fruitful gains.
Not least the battle for Player of the Tournament, with both England and Italy with prime contenders in the running.
For England, a ‘Summer of Sterling’ has been the catalyst for the hosts’ reaching their first major tournament final in 55 years, and Raheem Sterling remains the bookies’ choice to win the prize. With three goals and two assists to this point, Sterling is 2/1 currently with SBK, whilst Betfair, PaddyPower and William Hill are also offering 7/4 on the Manchester City star.
Harry Kane however, cannot yet be overlooked after a strong end to the competition. Having scored in every game during the knockout stages, the Three Lions’ skipper needs just one goal to tie Cristiano Ronaldo and Patrik Schick for the Golden Boot, whilst a brace against the Italians will surely see him taking the award outright.
Should that occur, Kane will be close to nailed-on for the Euro’s star. Holding a value of 5/1 with SBK and 15/4 with MansionBet, Kane may be delivering double joy for his backers.
Euro 2020 has arguably been the tournament of the full-back. But., with perhaps two of the summer’s star turns in Denmark’s Joakim Maehle now eliminated, and Leonardo Spinazzola also injured for Italy, could Luke Shaw yet steal in? The highest-scoring defender in UEFA’s official Fantasy game, Shaw’s four clean sheets and three assists leave only Sterling with more points, at 37, to his 35.
If we consider Shaw’s contribution statistically alone, and in what may be a tight contest versus Italy, an England win with a goal provided by the Manchester United man might yet leave Shaw in the box seat.
In truth then, a small punt at 25/1 with BetVictor, or 20/1 with MansionBet, is quite appealing.
If we turn to the men in blue, Federico Chiesa has added to his many admirers during the tournament and having scored twice in Italy’s two outings at Wembley, Chiesa is a man England will need to watch like a hawk.
So too should punters this weekend.
If a price of 10/1 with SkyBet and Bet365 may seem a little too much a stretch for him to seal the competition’s best player though, perhaps banking on the Juventus forward to make it three in three in north London, is a more likely scenario. With that in mind, SkyBet’s 5/1 anytime value on Chiesa to net, might cushion the blow should football not come home this Sunday evening.
If Italy do beat England this weekend under the Wembley arch, the other man that could grab the prize is Jorginho. Having been Roberto Mancini’s lynchpin in midfield, the Chelsea midfielder has been involved for his adopted nation this tournament, for all but 15 minutes.
If N’Golo Kante is the French dynamo, Jorginho is the cog that makes Italy tick, and is the player the bookies feel is currently Italy’s best shot at scooping the Euro’s best player. At an eyebrow-raising 9/1 with SkyBet, PaddyPower and Betfred, Jorginho might yet be a surprise winner.
