SLOVAKIA

GROUP: E

PLAYER TO WATCH: Stanislav Lobotka

EXPECTED FINISH: Group Stage

Slovakia Fixtures

A friendlier group draw they could not have wished for. The Slovakian hopes of making it to a second knockout round in just three attempts as an independent nation have been given a lift, thanks to the nature of the draw.

Sure, Belgium are a strong outfit with some world-renowned players, but they are beatable, as Morrocco proved so conclusively at the World Cup with a 2-0 win in the knockout rounds.

Ukraine also have bucketloads of talent, but Slovakia humbled a similarly promising Ukraine team 4-1 in a Nations League game back in 2018 and Romania are goal-shy, having only registered 16 goals in qualifying (six of which came against Andorra).

A third-place qualifying route looks the most likely option for Slovakia. However, given the strength of other teams from other groups vying for the four best third-place finisher spots, it’s difficult to see how they can make it.

Here’s how the Slovakia fixture’s line-up at the tournament:

• Slovakia vs Belgium 17th June (Frankfurt Arena)
• Slovakia vs Ukraine 21st June (Dusseldorf Arena)
• Slovakia vs Romania 26th June (Frankfurt Arena)

The Slovakia betting odds do not paint an optimistic picture of their chances. At the time of writing, they are odds-on with BetMGM to not qualify (4/5).

Standings

Key Players

Stanislav Lobotka

Caps (goals): 54 (4)

Position: Midfielder

Club: Napoli

An intriguing mix of balletic poise and tough tackles, Lobotka was once compared to Barcelona legend Andres Iniesta by his former Napoli manager Luciano Spaletti.

With a superb 92.3% pass accuracy across the whole Serie A season, Spaletti’s observation was understandable. While he may struggle to match his club numbers in an unfancied Slovakia team this summer Lobotka is the focal point for his side and could be a crucial component if they are to reach the knockout rounds.

Milan Skriniar

Caps (goals): 66 (3)

Position: Defender

Club: Paris Saint-Germain

Undoubtedly the poster boy for Slovakian football and captain of his country, Skriniar is a no-nonsense defender who made his name at Inter before transferring to French champions PSG last summer.

He hasn’t quite replicated the form he showed for the Italians in the French capital – so much so that there are rumours of an imminent departure from the Parc Des Princes – but he remains an experienced head who has been playing at the top of European football for a considerable period of time.

With excellent positional sense and strong one-v-one defending, can Skriniar cajole his team past the group stage?

Ondrej Duda

Caps (goals): 71 (13)

Position: Midfielder

Club: Hellas Verona

A creative outlet with some trickery up his sleeve and innovative playmaking, Ondrej Duda has enjoyed a successful career since making his debut for Slovakian Premier side Kosice.

Due to his clever playing style he wins a lot of fouls. Indeed, Duda attracted more than 50 of those during Serie A last season, making him one of the most fouled attacking players in the division. With Slovakia’s presence at set-pieces, that could prove vital in a group where small margins matter.

Previous performances in the Euros

Since competing as an individual nation from 1993 onwards, Slovakia have posted solid, if unspectacular, performances at the European Championships.

Here are their performances at the Euros as the independent nation of Slovakia in full:

• 1996: Did not qualify
• 2000: Did not qualify
• 2004: Did not qualify
• 2008: Did not qualify
• 2012: Did not qualify
• 2016: Round of 16 (lost 3-0 to Germany)
• 2020: Group stage (third in Group E)

Expectations

It is entirely plausible that Slovakia can secure third place in Group E but, given the competitiveness of the tournament this year, it is especially difficult to gauge whether that will be enough to emerge as one of the best third-placed qualifiers.

Belgium are expected to win the group so results against Ukraine and Romania will determine Slovakia’s summer. One win and a draw could be enough – will they achieve it?