Hello everyone and welcome to our Euro 2020 live blog. We have two last-16 fixtures this Monday – Croatia vs Spain and France vs Switzerland – which get underway at 18:00 CEST and 21:00 CEST respectively. On this blog, we’ll have updates from those matches, as well as all the build-up, previews, team news and updates from across the tournament.
Euro 2020 latest news and updates
14:05 CEST: France have a problem in defence
France might well be the favourites to win the tournament but Didier Deschamps has a massive headache to contend with against Switzerland, with left-backs Lucas Digne and Lucas Hernandez both injured. The Everton man is ruled out while the Bayern Munich defender, the first choice left-back, is doubtful.
Deschamps could switch Clement Lenglet to left-back, although it would be a far from ideal solution.
France’s predicted starting XI: Hugo Lloris, Raphael Varane, Clement Lenglet, Presnel Kimpembe, Benjamin Pavard, N’Golo Kante, Paul Pogba, Adrien Rabiot, Antoine Griezmann, Kylian Mbappe, Karim Benzema
12:55 CEST: Croatia’s predicted XI vs Spain
Zlatko Dalic isn’t quite under the same pressure as Luis Enrique in regards to which players he should and shouldn’t choose, yet he has been dealt a major blow as Ivan Perisic has been ruled out after testing positive from a PCR test. Atletico Madrid’s Sime Vrsaljko is also doubtful.
Croatia’s predicted XI vs Spain: Dominik Livakovic, Josip Juranovic, Domagoj Vida, Duje Caleta-Car, Josko Gvardiol, Luka Modric, Marcelo Brozovic, Mateo Kovacic, Nikola Vlasic, Ante Rebic, Bruno Petkovic
12:50 CEST: Spain’s predicted XI vs Croatia
Luis Enrique’s starting line-ups have so far been the subject of much debate, with plenty of question marks over the selection of Alvaro Morata, or the omission of Pau Torres last time out in favour of Eric Garcia. Against Croatia, the spotlight will shine even brighter over the coach’s choices, although he is unlikely to pander to fan and media opinions.
Spain’s predicted starting XI: Unai Simon, Cesar Azpilicueta, Jordi Alba, Pau Torres, Aymeric Laporte, Sergio Busquets, Koke, Thiago, Dan Olmo, Marcos Llorente, Alvaro Morata.
12:00 CEST: First game away from home for Spain: Blessing or curse?
For the first time at Euro 2020, Spain will not be playing at home. Their first three matches were hosted at the Estadio La Cartuja in Seville, yet that might not be a hindrance, seeing as La Roja didn’t put in their best performances on home soil, while the pitch itself was also far from peak condition.
With the game against Croatia being staged in Copenhagen, here is a look at the positives and negatives from moving away from the Seville stadium.
