Hungary and Switzerland are set to face off in their group stage opener at EURO 2024. The match will take place on Saturday, June 15 at the RheinEnergieStadion in Cologne, Germany. Both teams have a strong Premier League presence, with players like Liverpool’s Dominik Szoboszlai and Manchester City’s Manuel Akanji representing their respective countries.
Hungary has been known to be a dark horse in major competitions, as they proved when they beat England twice in the Nations League two years ago. However, the Hungarian national team has not made it past the Last 16 since 1972. On the other hand, Switzerland reached the Round of 16 in 2016 and the quarter-finals in 2020.
In terms of their path to Euro 2024, Hungary won Group G in undefeated fashion, with five victories. They bested Serbia, Montenegro, Lithuania, and Bulgaria along the way. Switzerland finished second in Group I behind Romania, overcoming Israel, Belarus, Kosovo, and Andorra in the qualifying stage.
Both teams seem to be dealing with no late injury concerns ahead of their Euro 2024 opener. Hungary will have players like RB Leipzig’s Peter Gulacsi and Freiburg’s Roland Sallai at their disposal. Switzerland manager Murat Yakin has a talented squad that includes Borussia Dortmund’s Gregor Kobel and Inter Milan’s Yann Sommer.
Players to watch in this match include Hungary captain Dominik Szoboszlai, who had an impressive campaign with Liverpool, and Switzerland captain Granit Xhaka, who enjoyed a stunning debut season at Bayer Leverkusen. The head-to-head record between Hungary and Switzerland favors the Hungarians, with 30 wins compared to Switzerland’s 11 victories. However, Switzerland has had the upper hand in recent meetings.
As for predictions, this is a closely matched game that could go either way. A draw might be the safest bet, with a prediction of 1-1. The match will be broadcast live on ITV 1 and can be streamed through the ITV Hub app. It is available for free as long as you have a TV license.