Euro 2016 Group D
GROUP D
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[Team Jersey Images © Soccerphile]
Spain
2010 World Cup and Euro 2012 champions Spain will be favourites to top what is a very tough group. Potential winners of the tournament, Spain have recovered from their poor display at World Cup 2014 in Brazil and introduced some new players, notably David de Gea in goal and Alvaro Morata up front. Coach Del Bosque has attempted to mix up Spain's style so they can also play on the counter and use the long ball on occasion.
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Spain Kit 1 |
Spain Kit 2 |
Spain v Czech Republic 13 June; Toulouse
Spain v Turkey 17 June; Nice
Spain v Croatia 23 June; Bordeaux
Coach
Vicente Del Bosque
Record
1960 pulled out; 1968, 1972, 1976, 1992 Did not qualify; 1980, 1988, 2004 group stage; 1996, 2000 Quarter-finals; 1964, 2008, 2012 Winners
Men to watch
Sergio Ramos and Gerard Pique form one of the best, if not the best, center back pairing in world football. Both are strong, quick and determined not to be beaten to the ball as well as chipping in with useful goals from set pieces.
Should make the last four and are potential winners with an excellent keeper, strong defence and creative midfield.
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How they qualified
Topped Group C by five points ahead of Slovakia.
On the sidelines
Spain will stay at the luxury Hotel Atalante Relais Thalasso and Spa near La Rochelle. Spain will be hoping to claim an historic third consecutive European crown with victory in France.
Analysis
Spain usually line up in a 4-3-3 formation but can also change that to 4-1-4-1 or 4-2-3-1.
Squad
Goalkeepers: Iker Casillas (Porto), David de Gea (Manchester United), Sergio Rico (Sevilla).
Defenders: Marc Bartra (Barcelona), Jordi Alba (Barcelona), Gerard Pique (Barcelona), Cesar Azpilicueta (Chelsea), Hector Bellerin (Arsenal), Sergio Ramos (Real Madrid), Juanfran (Atletico Madrid).
Midfielders: Sergio Busquets (Barcelona), Mikel San Jose (Athletic Bilbao), Cesc Fabregas (Chelsea), Thiago Alcantara (Bayern Munich), Bruno Soriano (Villarreal), Andres Iniesta (Barcelona), Koke (Atletico Madrid).
Strikers: Pedro (Chelsea), David Silva (Manchester City), Alvaro Morata (Juventus), Aritz Aduriz (Athletic Bilbao), Nolito (Celta Vigo), Lucas Vazquez (Real Madrid).
Czech Republic
Czech Republic qualified for Euro 2016 as winners of their qualifying group ahead of both the more fancied Turkey and the Netherlands. The team may lack stars, with only Petr Cech and Tomas Rosicky of the Premier League, much known to a wider audience. The majority of the squad ply their trades in the lesser European leagues. The Czechs are well-drilled and the quality of domestic football is on the rise. The problems may lay at the back as the team struggles to keep clean sheets and conceded 14 in qualifying. Up front the team also lack an out and out goal scorer.
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Czech Republic Kit 1 |
Czech Republic Kit 2 |
Czech Republic v Spain 13 June; Toulouse
Czech Republic v Croatia 17 June; Saint-Etienne
Czech Republic v Turkey 21 June; Lens
Coach
Pavel Vrba
Record
1960 Third place, 1964, 1968, 1972 Did not qualify, 1976 Champions, 1980 Third place, 1984, 1988, 1992 Did not qualify as Czechoslovakia*
1996 Runners-up, 2000 Group stage, 2004 Semi-finalists, 2008 Group Stage, 2012 Quarter-finalists
Men to watch
Vladimir Darida has been in tremendous form in the Bundesliga for Hertha Berlin and has been attracting attention from bigger clubs.
We predict Czech Republic will be third in Group D behind Spain and Croatia.
How they qualified
Topped Qualifying Group A ahead of Iceland and Turkey.
On the sidelines
Czech Republic goalkeeper Petr Cech has overtaken Karel Poborsky as the most-capped Czech player.
Analysis
Czech Republic play a 4-3-3 system with no real alternatives.
Squad
Goalkeepers: Petr Cech (Arsenal), Tomas Vaclik (Basel), Tomas Koubek (Sparta Prague).
Defenders: Theodor Gebre Selassie (Werder Bremen), Pavel Kaderabek (Hoffenheim), David Limbersky (Viktoria Pilsen), Marek Suchy (Basel), Michal Kadlec (Sparta Prague), Tomas Sivok (Bursaspor), Roman Hubnik (Viktoria Pilsen), Daniel Pudil (Sheffield Wednesday).
Midfielders: Borek Dockal (Sparta Prague), Jiri Skalak (Brighton), Vladimir Darida (Hertha Berlin), Daniel Kolar (Viktoria Pilsen), Ladislav Krejci (Sparta Prague), Josef Sural (Sparta Prague), David Pavelka (Kasimpasa), Jaroslav Plasil (Bordeaux), Tomas Rosicky (Arsenal).
Strikers: Milan Skoda (Slavia Prague), Tomas Necid (Bursaspor), David Lafata (Sparta Prague).
Turkey
Turkey last appeared at a European Championships at Euro 2008 where they narrowly lost in the semi-finals to Germany. Turkey's strength lies in their skillful midfield led by Barcelona's Arda Turan, who should certainly be fresh as he started only nine games this season. Turkey will look to veteran, China-based Burak Yilmaz, to score their goals, though he may not be fully recovered from injury.
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Turkey Kit 1
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Turkey Kit 2
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Turkey v Croatia 13 June; Paris
Turkey v Spain 17 June; Nice
Turkey v Czech Republic; 21 June; Lens
Coach
Fatih Terim
Record
1996: Round One; 2000: quarter-final; 2004: Did not qualify; 2008 Semi-finals
Men to watch
Hakan Calhanoglu scores some incredible goals from free kicks, while Oguzhan Ozyakup is another dangerous midfielder who may one day make it to a big club.
We predict Turkey to finish anywhere from second to fourth place.
How they qualified
Turkey came third in Group A as the highest ranked third-placed team from the nine qualifying groups thanks to a last minute free kick goal from Selcuk Inan.
On the sidelines
Coach Fatih was the first man to achieve qualification for Turkey to the Euros in 1996.
Analysis
Turkey line up in a 4-5-1 formation looking to push their midfielders beyond the lone attacker.
Squad
Goalkeepers: Volkan Babacan (Basaksehir), Onur Recep Kivrak (Trabzonspor), Harun Tekin (Bursaspor).
Defenders: Gokhan Gonul (Fenerbahce), Ahmet Calik (Genclerbirligi), Sener Ozbayrakli (Fenerbahce), Hakan Balta (Galatasaray), Mehmet Topal (Fenerbahce), Semih Kaya (Galatasaray), Ismail Koybasi (Besiktas), Caner Erkin (Fenerbahce).
Midfielders: Volkan Sen (Fenerbahce), Emre Mor (Nordsjaelland), Hakan Calhanoglu (Leverkusen), Nuri Sahin (Dortmund), Oguzhan Ozyakup (Besiktas), Ozan Tufan (Fenerbahce), Selcuk Inan (Galatasaray), Arda Turan (Barcelona), Olcay Sahan (Besiktas).
Strikers: Burak Yilmaz (Beijing Guoan), Cenk Tosun (Besiktas), Yunus Malli (FSV Mainz 05).
Croatia
Croatia are now an established side at major tournaments after their first appearance at the 1998 World Cup. In Real Madrid's Luka Modric and Barcelona's Ivan Rakitic, Croatia surely possesses two of the best midfielders at the tournament. A core of the national team's other top performers also play in Europe's top leagues including Mario Mandzukic, Nikola Kalinic, Milan Badelj and Ivan Perisic all currently in Italy. The defence, however, is aging and still propped up by veterans Vedran Corluka and Darijo Srna.
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Croatia Kit 1
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Croatia Kit 2
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Croatia v Turkey 13 June; Paris
Croatia v Czech Republic 17 June; Saint-Etienne
Croatia v Spain 21 June; Bordeaux
Coach
Ante Cacic
Record
2000 Did not qualify; 2004, 2012 Group Stage; 1996, 2008 Quarter finals
Men to watch
The stars are Modric and Rakitic but big things are expected of Real Madrid's youngster Mateo Kovacic one day.
Croatia have the necessary experience and talent to progress from the group.
How they qualified
Second in Group H behind Italy.
On the sidelines
Croatia had a point deducted after a swastika was cut in to the pitch in Split in a qualifying match against Italy.
Analysis
Croatia play 4-1-3-2 with Fiorentina's Milan Badelj in the holding role in front of the back four. Croatia can also play with Mandzukic in the lone striker role.
Squad
Goalkeepers: Danijel Subasic (Monaco), Lovre Kalinic (Hajduk Split), Ivan Vargic (Rijeka).
Defenders: Vedran Corluka (Lokomotiv Moscow), Darijo Srna (Shakhtar Donetsk), Domagoj Vida (Dynamo Kiev), Sime Vrsaljko (Sassuolo), Ivan Strinic (Napoli), Gordon Schildenfeld (Dinamo Zagreb), Tin Jedvaj (Bayer Leverkusen).
Midfielders: Luka Modric, Mateo Kovacic (both Real Madrid), Ivan Rakitic (Barcelona), Marcelo Brozovic (Inter Milan), Ivan Perisic (Inter Milan), Milan Badelj (Fiorentina), Marko Rog (Dinamo Zagreb), Ante Coric (Dinamo Zagreb).
Forwards: Mario Mandzukic (Juventus), Nikola Kalinic (Fiorentina), Marko Pjaca (Dinamo Zagreb), Duje Cop (Dinamo Zagreb), Andrej Kramaric (Hoffenheim).
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