1 Czech Republic vs 2 Denmark
Preview: Czech Republic vs Denmark
In a UEFA Euro 2020 quarter-final showdown, the resilient Czech Republic faces the revitalized Danish Dynamite at the Baku Olympic Stadium, both teams vying for a place in the semi-finals with memories of past encounters and recent triumphs fueling their quest for glory.
Czech Republic
The Czechs defeated the Netherlands 2-0 last Sunday to set up this quarter-final clash against the Red and White after putting up a spirited performance. They kept Memphis Depay quiet and swiftly halted any potent attack from the Flying Dutchmen.
Fortune favored them as they gained a numerical advantage early in the second half when Matthijs de Ligt was shown a red card for a deliberate handball at the edge of the box. The Russian referee, Sergei Karasev, adjudged the foul as a denial of a clear goal-scoring opportunity after a VAR review.
Sixteen minutes later, Tomas Holes handed the Czechs the lead. Patrik Schick then scored his fourth goal of the tournament, moving closer to equaling Euro 2020 top scorer Cristiano Ronaldo's record of five goals.
The Czech No. 10, with an overall international tally of 15 goals in 30 matches, impressed coach Jaroslav Šilhavý from the sidelines as his team, the underdogs, advanced to the quarter-finals. On Saturday, Šilhavý will be hoping for a repeat performance with his preferred 4-2-3-1 formation, which has been prominent throughout the tournament.
Patrik Schick will lead the attack again, looking to exploit spaces in the Danish defense. Czech Republic returns behind a form that reads: LWWDLW.
Denmark
An emphatic 4-0 victory over Wales saw Denmark cruise into the last eight on Saturday, the 26th of June. A brace from Kasper Dolberg (27' & 48'), coupled with goals from Joakim Maehle (88') and Barcelona's Martin Braithwaite (90'+ET), settled the fixture.
This win marked the Danish Dynamite's third victory in their last six games across all international competitions: DWLLWW. Danish captain, AC Milan's Simon Kjaer, picked up an injury in that game and remains doubtful for this Saturday's quarter-final clash.
However, coach Kasper Hjulmand expects the 32-year-old to be fit enough to deliver another solid performance at the heart of the three-man Danish defense. Expected to line up with him is Chelsea's Andreas Christensen on his right, and Southampton's Jannik Vestergaard on his left.
The probable 3-4-3 formation will feature Martin Braithwaite and Mikkel Damsgaard as key parts of the attacking trio, while Dolberg, who bagged a brace against Wales, is expected to retain his place. Meanwhile, first-choice striker Yussuf Poulsen remains doubtful after picking up a gluteus muscle injury.
The winner of this fixture will face either Ukraine or England in the semi-finals at Wembley on the 7th of July. This will be Denmark's first quarter-final appearance at the European Championship since 2004, when they lost 3-0 to the Czech Republic at FC Porto's home stadium, Estádio do Dragão.
Team form
Showing the latest five games—giving you a quick look at recent performance trends. Teams in good form tend to do well in the next match.
Team Comparison
Side-by-side assessment of team statistics, including goals, attacks, and more. This allows you to directly compare key performance metrics. Analyzing these stats can reveal patterns and strengths that might influence the outcome.