Euro 2020 Group D Odds & Preview: England & Croatia Top Favorites
- With the 2020 Euro tournament starting on June 11th we look into one of the more intriguing groups, featuring one of the favorites, England
- Gareth Southgate’s side is tasked with beating out Croatia, the Czech Republic and Scotland if they want to leave their group in first place
- See the odds, our analysis and betting prediction for Group D below
After an entire year delay because of Covid-19, the 2020 Euro tournament is finally here for fans to enjoy. There is a plethora of world class squads with great chances of lifting the coveted trophy at Wembley Stadium in a month. However, one of the more intriguing groups in the first stage, Group D, needs its own breakdown and analysis. Group D consists of England, Croatia, the Czech Republic and Scotland.
England are the favorites, but do not have an easy road to qualifying, as they have to play the team that knocked them out of the 2018 World Cup. The Three Lions’ match against Croatia will be one of the most highly anticipated of the tournament, and one that the other teams in Group D will keep an eye on.
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Euro 2020 Group D Odds
| Team | Odds to Win at DraftKings | Odds to Qualify |
|---|---|---|
| England | -245 | -1250 |
| Croatia | +350 | -150 |
| Czech Republic | +1200 | +200 |
| Scotland | +1900 | +310 |
Odds as of June 6th.
Elsewhere, the Euro 2020 odds favor the Czech Republic to finish third with Scotland coming in last place. Neither of these sides will probably win the group, but do not be surprised if one of them qualify in shocking fashion. Scotland especially under John McGinn and Andy Robertson could be a top-two dark horse with a huge amount of value.
Is England the Sure-Fire Favorite?
On paper, England are probably one of the top five sides across all of international football. The Euro squad list contains names like Harry Kane, Raheem Sterling, Mason Mount, Jack Grealish and the list goes on and on. However, under the questionable management of Gareth Southgate, England must be examined to some extent. Surely they are going to play a back five, with two holding midfielders and only three attackers despite all the creativity they possess.
A special day for @MarcusRashford 🙌 pic.twitter.com/9UPqkrBGBn
— England (@England) June 6, 2021
In turn, England will play an extremely defensive brand of football. Many fans question this from Southgate, and as they play some challenging teams, his tactics will be put to the fire. Since losing to Croatia in the World Cup semifinals, they have beaten and tied them in two Nations League matches. With Czech and Scotland as their other competitors, England are favorites to win the group, but do not expect it to be as easy as some may think.
Croatia Have Struggled Since 2018 Campaign
In 2018, Croatia shocked the world with their performance at the 2018 World Cup in Russia. Nonetheless, it has been far from smooth sailing since their loss to France in the finale. In fact, in their last seven competitive matches, they only managed two wins against Malta and Cyprus, obviously very inferior competition.
🎙| Luka Modrić: "Our group in the Euros is very tough. England, Czech Republic and Scotland are good teams and it will not be easy to get to the second round." 🇭🇷 pic.twitter.com/Yy7n9joMV5
— Madrid Xtra. (@MadridXtra) June 6, 2021
Still, Croatia have a very strong squad, especially in the midfield. With the likes of Luca Modric, Matteo Kovacic, and Ivan Perisic, they can really control the middle of the park. Domagoj Vida and Duje Caleta-Car are two very good central defenders that can give Croatia a sense of calmness at the back. Up front is where Croatia should be questioned the most, but regardless, they are a team not to mess with.
The Chances of Czech or Scotland Advancing
Furthermore, where the group gets tricky is the bottom two with the Czech Republic and Scotland. For the Czechs, their success almost relies on a great Euro showing from Tomas Soucek. The West Ham player has played brilliantly this year and his play is imperative to the rest of this Czech side.
Fantastic ball from Robertson to make it 2-1 Scotland. pic.twitter.com/ugBVL5nKBO
— Watch LFC (@Watch_LFC) June 2, 2021
For Scotland, I personally think they are a team playing with house money. This is their first appearance in the Euros since 1996 and they frankly have nothing to lose. In recent friendly matches they have impressed and I believe it is possible for skipper Andy Robertson to lead them to an impressive third-place finish.
How Group D Will Finish at Euro 2020
Finally, at Euro 2020, Group D will finish with Croatia in first place followed by England, Scotland and the Czech Republic in that order. Southgate’s defensive tactics will come back to haunt him as Croatia win the group and Scotland will snag a result to keep them above a last place finish.
Picks: Croatia to win (+350), England to qualify (-1250)
Josh Ricker is a freelance sports journalist, currently attending the University of Southern Maine (Bachelor of Science in Sports Management and Marketing). He has recently interned with the AA Portland Sea Dogs, and his work has been featured on Fansided, as well as now here on SBD.
