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Padraig Whelan·3 July 2021
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Padraig Whelan·3 July 2021
All eyes are looking east as Baku is the destination for Saturday evening’s Euro 2020 quarter-final between the Czech Republic and Denmark.
The Denmark fairytale and the tidal wave of emotion and support both from home and across the world that has carried them this far following their frightening start to the tournament.
That is no offence to the Czechs, who were workmanlike but largely unimpressive in the group stages before showing what they are capable of against the Netherlands, but every neutral is firmly in the camp of the Danes in the hope they can deliver glory for Christian Eriksen.
There’s zero doubt who the Czech Republic’s main man in this competition has been, with the Bayer Leverkusen striker scoring four of his country’s five goals. That purple patch has taken his international tally to one every two games, with 15 in his 30 caps. Only Milan Baroš (five) has more goals at a major competition for their nation.
The 20-year-old’s superb performances this summer have seen Sampdoria slap a reported €50 million price tag on the playmaker’s shoulders and you can’t blame them, with his wizardry in the final third for Denmark winning him plenty of new admirers.
Czech Republic (4-2-3-1): Vaclík; Coufal, Čelůstka, Kalas, Bořil; Holeš, Souček; Masopust, Barák, Ševčík; Schick.
Denmark (3-4-3): Schmeichel; Christensen, Kjær, Vestergaard; Wass, Højbjerg, Delaney, Mæhle; Braithwaite, Poulsen, Damsgaard.