Euro 2024 Tipsheet: Will Portugal get their campaign off to the perfect start?

Group F is the final group to get going in Euro 2024 and it looks set to be an intriguing one. Portugal are contenders to win the tournament but there is no room for complacency at this level.

Turkey vs Georgia

17:00 Tuesday, 17th June

Turkey are overwhelming favourites with the bookmakers but their form coming into this fixture leaves a lot to be desired. Their 2-1 defeat against Poland in their final warm-up match means they come into this match without a win in their last five matches. Vincenzo Montella knows his team need to step up here if they are to harbour any hopes of making it out of this difficult group.

Georgia are the lowest-ranked side in the competition and this will be the first time they have ever competed at a European Championships. However, they are no pushovers and have the quality to hurt the Turks. Georges Mikautadze and Khvicha Kvaratskhelia form a deadly duo in attack and they can have some success here. 

Facundo Tello is the referee for this clash. He is the only official selected by UEFA who plies his trade outside of Europe and he is a card-friendly referee to say the least. Tello has handed out an average of 5.04 cards per game in his 23 matches across the Argentine Primera Division, Copa Sudamericana and Copa Libertadores this season. 

Turkey's eight qualifying matches saw an average of 22.88 fouls. That’s marginally above the overall average of 22.52 fouls made across all European qualifying matches but there were cards in abundance. They forced an average of 3.5 cards per qualifying campaign so Georgian players are the ideal candidates for cards here. 

Guram Kashis the man at the heart of the Georgia defence. He will likely be tasked with keeping Baris Alper Yilmaz under wraps. Yilmaz is a combative player with a great deal of aerial prowess. He forced an average of 1.7 fouls per game in the Turkish Super Lig last season and should prove to be a handful here. 

Kashia picked up three cards for Georgia during their qualifying campaign. The 36-year-old defender has plenty of experience but has seldom been tested at this level. There is very little foul data to rely on for Kashia with him playing his club football in the Slovakian League but he did pick up a yellow card in Georgia’s qualifying playoff against Luxembourg. 

Recommended Bet: Guram Kashia to be carded at 4.90

Portugal vs Czech Republic

20:00 Tuesday, 17th June

Portugal have a squad that can rival the likes of England and France. Roberto Martinez is able to call upon some of the world’s best in all areas of the pitch and there is a hunger amongst the squad to do well. The national team boast a 100% record in competitive matches since they opted to hire Martinez following the World Cup. The former Belgium boss has had the opportunity to experiment but now it is time for them to put what they have learned into practice. 

The Czech Republic are also in good form, winning their last five matches. However, they have faced lower-ranked opposition in those matches and managed to keep just one clean sheet. That doesn’t bode well as they take on the attacking might of Portugal. 

Portugal’s dominant performances in qualifying also meant that they racked up the corners. The team averaged 7.2 per game and conceded just 1.9. Martinez is keen for his team to hold onto the ball for long periods and the opposition often find that chances are at a premium.  Only England conceded fewer corners per game than the Portuguese in qualifying. 

The Selecao have had more corners than their opponents in 12 of their last 13 matches. Over that period, they have averaged 4.77 more corners per game than their opponents so this corner handicap appeals. Portugal won the corners count 7-2 in their final warm-up game against Ireland. 

Recommended Bet: Portugal -3.5 corners handicap at 2.46

Recommended Bets

Back Guram Kashia to be carded at 4.90
Back Portugal -3.5 corners handicap at 2.46