Slovakia Euro 2020: Team News, Odds & Predictions
Slovakia will take part in the European Championship once again, having qualified for the tournament for the first time in 2016. The Falcons reached the Round of 16 in France, however having been drawn alongside Spain, Sweden and Poland in Group E, they will do well to repeat that feat. Ahead of their opening match, we take a look at Slovakia’s chances at Euro 2020. This includes discussing their manager, key players and betting odds.
Slovakia History
Slovakia was part of Czechoslovakia up until 1992. They qualified for the World Cup for the first time in 2010, reaching the Round of 16 in South Africa. They then qualified for the European Championships for the first time in their history in 2016, reaching the Round of 16 thanks to a win over Russia and a draw with England. They were easily beaten by Germany in the first knockout round, however the tournament will have given the team confidence going into future major tournaments.
How Slovakia Qualified for Euro 2020
Having been drawn alongside Croatia, Wales, Hungary and Azerbaijan in Group E, Slovakia finished third following four wins from eight matches. The team scored just 13 goals during the campaign, conceding 11. Róbert Boženík and Marek Hamšík finished as Slovakia’s top scorers during qualifying, with both having scored 3 goals. Slovakia eventually sealed their place at Euro 2020 via the playoffs. They beat the Republic of Ireland on penalties, before Michal Ďuriš scored an extra time winner against Northern Ireland to send them to the finals.
Slovakia in Group E
Slovakia have been drawn in Group E at Euro 2020, alongside Poland, Sweden and 3x winners Spain. Their opening two matches will take place in Russia, before they make the trip to Seville in order to go head to head with Spain. The following are how Slovakia’s Group E fixtures look ahead of the tournament:
- Poland vs Slovakia – Gazprom Arena, St Petersburg – June 14 17:00
- Sweden vs Slovakia – Gazprom Arena, St Petersburg – June 18 14:00
- Slovakia vs Spain – Estadio de La Cartuja , Seville – June 23 17:00
Slovakia Euro 2020: Odds & Predictions
Slovakia are priced the highest out of all teams to win Euro 2020 this summer by leading online bookmakers. A bet on the team winning the tournament can be placed at best odds of 500/1 from Tonybet. Below is how other top bookies have priced Slovakia to shock the world and win Euro 2020:
- Bet365 – 400/1
- Tonybet – 500/1
- 888Sport – 400/1
- SportNation – 200/1
- Betfair – 325/1
- NetBet – 200/1
- William Hill – 250/1
- Ladbrokes – 400/1
Elsewhere, Slovakia are 10/3 to lose all three of their Group E matches, a market in which many punters may well take advantage of. Meanwhile, they are 8/1 with William Hill to be the lowest scoring team at Euro 2020. Finally, the team is priced at 4/9 to be elimated at the earliest possible opportunity.
The Manager
Štefan Tarkovič is the head coach of Slovakia. The 48-year-old has previously managed club sides Žilina, Tatran Prešov and Košice. He was Slovakia’s assistant coach from 2013-2018, before taking over from Pavel Hapal ahead of Slovakia’s clash against Northern Ireland. Tarkovič had little playing career to speak of, having suffered a serious injury at the age of just 24.
Standout Players
The Slovakian squad features no star names, with the majority of players not competing in one of Europe’s top five leagues. At the age of 33, midfielder Marek Hamsik remains Slovakia’s key player, with the IFK Gothenburg player set to add to his 120+ international caps this summer. Elsewhere, Rangers and Manchester City fans will remember Vladimír Weiss, while Napoli’s Stanislav Lobotka is a player to keep an eye out for. 21-year-old Feyenoord striker Róbert Boženík is likely to start up front on his own, with Newcastle United goalkeeper Martin Dúbravka set to be a busy man during Slovakia’s matches. Finally, having recently won the Serie A title with Inter Milan, Milan Škriniar should head to the tournament full of confidence.
Slovakia’s Strengths & Weaknesses
Slovakia are a team that can be difficult to break down.They recorded a goalless draw with Austria in their final warm-up match ahead of Euro 2020, while they only conceded 11 goals during qualification for the tournament. Unfortunately, Slovakia have a real lack of firepower. Their main goalscoring threat will come from set pieces, which Marek Hamsik will likely be in charge of. They have no recognised striker, with Hamsik being their highest scorer in history, with just 26.
Our Prediction for Slovakia at Euro 2020
Unfortunately, it is difficult to see Slovakia making a significant impact at Euro 2020. They will likely struggle against Spain, Poland and Sweden, all of whom have better squads to choose from. As a result, it is worth betting on Slovakia failing to qualify from Group E. This bet is available at best odds of 4/9 with William Hill, with this price likely to drop should they lose their opening match against Poland.