Under-21 EURO preview: All Thursday's opening games including France vs Italy, Czechia vs England, Germany vs Israel
Wednesday, June 21, 2023
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The opening games in Groups C and D at the 2023 finals in Georgia and Romania take place on Thursday: we preview the action.
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The 2023 UEFA European Under-21 Championship continues in Georgia and Romania on Thursday as Groups C and D commence. We preview the action with two quarter-final spots available in each group.
Thursday's U21 EURO games
This is a swift reunion for two sides who had a tight race for first place in their qualifying group, home and away wins for England leaving them three points clear. Czechia edged out Iceland in the play-offs, and can welcome back Matěj Kovář, Michal Fukala, Martin Vitík, Pavel Šulec and Adam Karabec from the squad pipped by Spain and Italy in their 2021 finals group.
England also went out at that stage in a three-way tie after conceding late to Croatia. They are the only team to qualify for all nine editions since the move to odd-numbered years in 2007, but have only made it out of their group on three occasions.
Still, they have a team not short of top-level experience with the likes of Curtis Jones, Harvey Elliott, Emile Smith Rowe and Anthony Gordon involved, though their qualifying top scorer Folarin Balogun has since decided to represent the United States.
Germany had never won the U21 title before their 2009 success with the likes of Manuel Neuer, Jérôme Boateng, Mats Hummels, Sami Khedira and Mesut Özil. But they have triumphed in two of the last three editions and both Youssoufa Moukoko and Josha Vagnoman were part of the 2021-winning squad. Moukoko was at the 2022 senior FIFA World Cup, while Kevin Schade comes direct from UEFA EURO 2024 qualifying.
Regular captain (and another 2021 winner) Jonathan Burkardt is out injured, meaning Yann-Aurel Bisseck wears the armband, while Patrick Osterhagen, Jan Thielmann, Ansgar Knauff and Jordan Beyer were also ruled out pre-tournament. Noah Atubolu was confirmed on Wednesday as starting keeper by coach Antonio di Salvo, who assisted Stefan Kuntz in the triumphs of 2017 and 2021.
Israel last competed in the finals as hosts in 2013, and only previously qualified by right in 2007. But the next generation reaching the final of the 2022 U19 EURO and coming third in the recent 2023 FIFA U-20 World Cup, as well as this qualification, shows Israel's growing reputation in age-group competitions. Roy Revivo, Tomer Tzarfati, Dor Turgeman and Stav Lemkin were all among the U20 bronze-medallists in Argentina less than a fortnight ago.
Norway have only previously qualified twice, in 1998 and 2013, but both times reached the semi-finals. Jørgen Strand Larsen and Hugo Vetlese were both promoted to the senior squad so Leif Gunnar Smerud, in charge since 2014 and in his last tournament as U21 coach, has called up Seedy Jatta and Joshua Kitolano.
Switzerland only just missed out on getting out of their group in 2021 despite opening with a 1-0 win against England through Dan Ndoye. He returns from that squad along with Leonidas Stergiou, Simon Sohm, Kastriot Imeri, Filip Stojilkovic and Fabian Rieder, who started against Brazil at the 2022 FIFA World Cup, a tournament in which Ardon Jashari also played.
France and joint-record five-time winners Italy both made the quarter-finals in 2021 and this time came through qualifying unbeaten, conceding just five goals in ten games.
The France squad includes Loïc Badé, fresh from Sevilla's UEFA Europa League final win against Roma, for whom Edoardo Bove came off the bench in Budapest. Italian-born Khéphren Thuram, son of Lilian and brother of Marcus, is also in France's 23.
Italy have lost Niccolò Pierozzi, Alessandro Zanoli and Moise Kean from their original long list, and coach Pauolo Nicolato has been experimenting with different line-ups since qualifying. Wilfried Gnonto, Sandro Tonali and Giorgio Scalvini have joined up from the senior squad while Raoul Bellanova appeared for Inter in the UEFA Champions League final.
