Even if it contains reigning European champions Spain, Group D is probably the most evenly matched and it goes without saying that all four sides have decent chances of securing their place in the knockout stages.
Having hammered Italy in the Euro 2012 final, La Furia Roja have been made favourites for the first place, but it has to be noted that the team appear to be on a downtrend at the moment and they have plenty of problems going into the tournament finals.
With Diego Costa overlooked, Alvaro Morata is expected to lead the line and his goalscoring record is far from impressive, while it remains to be seen whether the likes of Andres Iniesta and Cesc Fabregas will be able to perform at a high level being in an advanced stage of their careers.
The sheer individual quality of the players should prove enough for Spain to progress from the top of their group, but we don’t think La Furia Roja can go far at the 2016 European Championship.
Online bookmakers seem to expect Croatia to finish second, but we don’t think that will happen as this is one of their weakest sides in years and the team spirit is virtually non-existent under Ante Cacic.
Vatreni will have problems at the back now that Dejan Lovren has been dropped from the team, and while they will be looking to Luka Modric, Ivan Rakitic and Mario Mandzukic to produce the magic, the individual quality of players can only take them so far. Therefore, don’t be surprised if Croatia fail to qualify for the knockout phase.
When it comes to top positions in Group D, Turkey have got to be considered as one of the favourites, and they boast precisely the qualities Ante Cacic’s side are lacking.
Milli Takim also boast highly skilled players such as Arda Turan, Selcuk Inan, Hakan Calhanoglu and Oguzhan Ozyakup, but they are incredibly inspired when playing for the national team and never give up whatever the result.
Such an approach can take them far in France, especially considering that Turkey always seem to do well at major competitions, and their attack-minded style of football will also make them a joy to watch.
Czech Republic are one of the low-profile sides taking part at the Euro 2016 finals, and it is fair to say they are no longer a top European side, with the achievements of their Golden Generation now looking a distant past.
Pavel Vrba’s side have shown some promise in the qualifiers, but with their key men Tomas Rosicky and Jaroslav Plasil well past their prime and attacking issues all too evident, third-place finish in Group D is the best they can hope for.
To Finish Top of Group D Betting Odds
Spain – 4/7 (1.57) @bet365
Croatia – 7/2 (4.5) @WilliamHill
Turkey – 9/1 (10.0) @bet365
Czech Republic – 10/1 (11.0) @Coral
To Finish Bottom of Group D Betting Odds
Czech Republic – 3/2 (2.5) @WilliamHill
Turkey – 15/8 (2.87) @Betfair
Croatia – 5/1 (6.0) @Coral
Spain – 20/1 (21.0) @Coral
Read Also
Euro 2016 Group A – To Finish Top and Bottom
Euro 2016 Group B – To Finish Top and Bottom
Euro 2016 Group C – To Finish Top and Bottom
Euro 2016 Group E – To Finish Top and Bottom
Euro 2016 Group F – To Finish Top and Bottom
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