Football prediction Belgium vs Slovakia, group E Euro 2024

After a heavy defeat at the 2022 World Cup, when they were eliminated from the group stage and had serious internal conflicts, the Belgian team came to EURO 2024 with a new look.

Coach Domenico Tedesco changed the playing style and gave more opportunities to young players.

EURO 2024 Ball.jpg — Belgium has a new look

Under the guidance of the 38-year-old Italian coach, who won the German Cup with RB Leipzig, Belgium went 14 matches unbeaten.

Tedesco gave Kevin de Bruyne the captaincy, but did not let the team's play depend on the Man City star.

De Bruyne has actually only played four of the 14 matches since the 2022 World Cup. Instead, Tedesco has preferred a wide attacking style with Timothy Castagne and Jeremy Doku.

In the 3-4-3 system that Tedesco built, the duo Mangala and Amadou Onana played the role of warriors in the middle of the field.

The attacking options all point to Romelu Lukaku. The player playing on loan at Roma scored 17 goals in 11 games he was used by Tedesco.

Barring any surprises, Leandro Trossard and De Bruyne will be supporting Lukaku on his journey to Germany.

Additionally, Tedesco deployed Witsel in the heart of defense, just like Diego Simeone does in Atletico's matches.

Witsel's partner is Wout Faes - previously out of favour with Roberto Martinez, along with youngster De Cuyper. Veteran Vertonghen will be on the bench.

Tedesco is doing a great job of combining some of Belgium's golden generation of veterans with some exciting young faces.

Tedesco's failure to call up Thibaut Courtois is a pity. Koen Casteels and Matz Sels have been the two goalkeepers he has used most recently, with each playing six times.

Casteels is likely to be the starting goalkeeper at this EURO. The 31-year-old goalkeeper left Wolfsburg to join Al Qadsiah in Saudi Arabia after the tournament.

Pekarik Slovakia.jpg — Pekarik is a Slovakia mainstay at 37 years old

Belgium's new journey begins with a match against Slovakia, an opponent with a strong and pragmatic style of play.

This is the third consecutive time Slovakia has qualified for EURO. This result is thanks in large part to the impact of Francesco Calzona, who is preparing for the Italian derby with Tedesco.

Slovakia arrived in Germany with some very young members such as Leo Sauer (18 years old), Sebastian Kosa (20), Tomas Rigo (21), Adam Obert (21), Tomas Suslov (22).

However, unlike Belgium, these players only play a reserve role. Slovakia still relies on veterans Dubravka, Pekarik, Kucka; and veterans Skriniar, Hancko, Lobotka, Duda to deploy their play.

Between two teams with opposite schools of thought, Belgium has a better chance of winning 3 points in the opening match of EURO 2024.

Force:

Belgium: Arthur Theate, Vertonghen, Meunier are not 100% fit yet.

Slovakia: Denis Vavro recovered.

Expected lineup:

Belgium (3-4-3): Casteels; Faes, Witsel, De Cuyper; Castagne, Mangala, Onana, Doku; Trossard, Lukaku, De Bruyne.

Slovakia (43-3): Dubravka; Pekarik, Vavro, Skriniar, Hancko; Kucka, Lobotka, Duda; Schranz, Bozenik, Haraslin.

Match odds: Belgium handicap 1 1/4

Goal ratio: 2 1/2

Prediction: Belgium win 3-1 .

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