Focus Fixture: Scott Thornton kicks off Euro 2024 with a 9/2 Bet Builder

Germany, the hosts of Euro 2024, take on Scotland on Friday night as the tournament gets underway. Julian Nagelsmann’s side are amongst the favourites to win the tournament but Scotland are capable of an upset. 

The Form

Germany were unimpressive in their recent win over Greece but the match was more about fitness than the result. Nagelsmann has signed a contract that will keep him in charge of the national team until 2026. The talented young manager has been courted by several clubs and a return to Bayern Munich looked on the cards at one stage but his focus will now be on ending Germany’s poor run at major tournaments.

The hosts are the 11/2 third favourites with SBK to lift the trophy and while the lack of an out-and-out number nine is a slight concern, there is plenty of quality in this German side. Toni Kroos will retire at the end of the tournament and he looks set to play a pivotal role in midfield. He will be supported by the likes of Florian Wirtz and Jamal Musiala.

Scotland aren’t in the best form coming into the tournament but they performed very well in qualifying. They amassed a total of 17 points from their eight matches and managed a memorable win over Spain in the process. Steve Clarke will be hoping to mastermind another giant killing here.

This will be Scotland’s fourth appearance at a European Championships. They have struggled to perform on the big stage though and have never reached the knockout stages. Germany are the favourites to win Group A but the betting is wide open for who will take that coveted second place. Scotland’s chances are boosted by the fact some of the best 3rd place teams will also qualify.

The Runners and the Riders

There are no injury concerns for Germany. Nagelsmann is likely to name six midfielders in his starting eleven with no natural wide players. Jamal Musiala and Florian Wirtz have both enjoyed marvellous seasons for their respective clubs and will be hoping to star for their country this summer.

Scott McTominay was crucial for Scotland in qualifying but he hasn’t appeared in the recent friendlies. The midfielder seldom featured for Manchester United in the final months of the season so it’s unclear whether he will start here. 

What They Said

Nagelsmann has acknowledged there is pressure on his players but thinks they are up to the task… “There is pressure involved, but more so joy. If we can see that joy on the pitch, then we will have a great tournament.”

Steve Clarke knows this game is a tough test for Scotland and was under no illusions when the draw was made. The Scotland boss said, “Everyone was telling me when the draw was made that Germany wasn’t in a good place. I wasn’t fooled.”

Tip

These teams last locked horns in 2015. Germany won 3-2 on that occasion and we are hoping for goals once again. The home side are hot favourites but they have appeared fragile at times. As a result, both teams to score at odds of 2.22 appeals.

Germany haven’t played competitive matches for a while with their place in Euro 2024 guaranteed. Their eight friendly matches under Nagelsmann have seen an average of 2.88 goals with Die Mannschaft scoring 1.63 on average. They fell behind in their recent match with Greece before going on to win. The Greeks managed to have 14 attempts despite keeping just 31% possession.

Scotland are also likely to be starved of possession but they have the physicality to hurt Germany. They averaged 2.13 goals per game in qualifying and failed to score in just one of their eight matches. 

Recommended Bet: Both teams to score at 2.22

Bet Builder Tip

Kai Havertz is set to start as Germany’s striker. He began the season with Arsenal in midfield but has proven to be a real threat in front of goal. His form as a striker has seen him move above Gabriel Jesus in the pecking order. The host nation need him to be firing in this tournament.

Havertz scored 13 goals in the Premier League. He made 30 starts for the Gunners but less than half of those were as a striker. He got Germany’s equaliser against Greece last week. Kai now has five goals in his last seven matches, a run that started with Arsenal’s 5-0 win over Chelsea on the 23rd of April.

We are also backing Germany to get the win. Victories over France and the Netherlands got the fans believing after a torrid World Cup under Hansi Flick. Their starting eleven is among the strongest in the tournament and they should pick up all three points even if they fall behind once again.

Recommended Bet: Germany to win, both teams to score and Havertz to score at 5.5