THE OTHER EUROS
Eight sides will battle for U21 glory, but will Camavinga & Co be there?
There are exactly 13 days between the Champions League final and the start of Euro 2020 – but fear not, UEFA have scheduled another tournament to keep us all entertained in the meantime.
The 12- month delay to the Euros means that for the first time since 2004, the European Under- 21 Championship is taking place in the same year as the senior event... presenting a few selection dilemmas.
Without a free month to slot the competition into, UEFA split the U21 Euros into two parts this year – moving the group stage forward to March, with the knockout stages running from May 31 to June 6.
Sadly, both host countries didn’t make it through – Slovenia and Zoltan Gera’s Hungary finished bottom of their respective groups. Adrian Mutu’s Romania also made an early exit, as did England, knocked out on head- to- head record after conceding a dramatic late goal to Igor Biscan’s Croatia in their last fixture.
In the quarter- finals, the Croats take on reigning champions Spain, who triumphed in 2019, aided by Dani Olmo. Despite still being eligible, the RB Leipzig star has stepped up to senior level, with Barcelona duo Pedri and Ansu Fati doing the same. Club- mates Oscar Mingueza and Riqui Puig were among those to play in this year’s group stage, as was Brahim Diaz.
A Portugal side potentially including another Barça ace, Francisco Trincao, go head to head with Italy, who have won the U21 Euros on each of the last four occasions it was played in the same year as the senior event – 1992, 1996, 2000 and 2004. In those days they boasted attacking talent like Francesco Totti, Christian Vieri and Alberto Gilardino – this time their top scorer is Patrick Cutrone, currently on loan at Valencia from Wolves.
Denmark take on a Germany outfit managed by Stefan Kuntz, a famous Euros scorer against England in 1996; meanwhile, the Dutch face a difficult task against France, joint favourites with Spain.
Based on Les Bleuets’ squad for the group stage, it’s easy to see why. For starters, they were able to call upon 18- year- old Rennes wonderkid Eduardo Camavinga, who scored a fine goal on his second appearance for France’s senior team in October and is probably still hoping to make Didier Deschamps’ squad for the main Euros this summer.
Also picked for the U21s in March were Leicester’s Wesley Fofana, highly- rated Sevilla defender Jules Kounde, Celtic’s Odsonne Edouard, goalkeeper Illan Meslier ( first choice for Leeds this season, but only a backup to Alban Lafont for France U21s), Lille’s Jonathan Ikone, plus Matteo Guendouzi – still only 22 despite already experiencing the full Arsenal doom spiral that befalls many a Gunners cult hero.
Houssem Aouar was only absent via injury, while Dayot Upamecano also remains eligible – as does a lad called Kylian Mbappe. But don’t worry, kids: we reckon he’ll probably be at the senior tournament...