Euro 2024: Slovenia x Serbia, Match Preview, Odds and Predictions(20/06/2024)

In their second group match against Slovenia, Serbia will try to bounce back after a 1-0 setback to England. The bookmakers rate the Eagles as favorites to defeat Slovenia at Allianz Arena after a strong showing in their opener. Because of his injury, Filip Kostic should not play; Filip Mladenovic will probably fill in. Recalled to the starting lineup should also include Torino midfielder Ivan Ilic and captain Dusan Tadic.

Conversely, Matjaz Kek's forces overcame a deficit by splitting the spoils with Denmark in their first encounter. Striker Benjamin Sesko of Leipzig should continue to start up front with Panathinaikos player Andraz Sporar even if he did not score against the Scandinavians. In any case, Serbia made things tough for the star-studded Three Lions in Gelsenkirchen; hence, the away victory should be considered. Although Zan Celar and Petar Stojanovic are only one yellow card away from suspension, the home squad has no new injury concerns.

Slovenia x Serbia Team News

Slovenia has an actual front two in Andraz Sporar and wonderkid Benjamin Sesko; seeing how they will put together their supporting cast will be intriguing. Head coach Matjaz Kek should remain the same as the 4-4-2 he used before. Though initially a right-back, Petar Stojanović can play farther up the field, and Jan Mlakar is more of a forward player fitting in as a wideman.

Once again, it will depend on Elsnik and Cerin to fill in at center midfield. Cerin is also a highly gifted technical, and he will perform some playmaker duties for the club.

The defense—typically a back four—is likewise under strain because of the offensive formation in front of them. The backline has considerable skill; Erik Janza is a veteran campaigner, while Jaka Bijol just had a strong season in Serie A.

The goal for Slovenian football for the last ten years is Jan Oblak. For development to be conceivable, he must have an outstanding tournament.

Among the Serbian squad are some well-known names. Although he plays in Saudi Arabia, Aleksander Mitrovic is still in his twenties and holds the record for scoring the most goals in the nation. His clubmate Sergej Milinkovic-Savic began as number 10 against England. However, he could be replaced by the wildly inventive Dusan Tadic, who came on as a substitute against Gareth Southgate's team.

With few opportunities, Dragan Stojkovic will probably keep Serbia in a 3-4-1-2 formation, which means Dusan Vlahović will attack with Mitrovic. Meanwhile, Andrija Zivkovic and Filip Kostic are still wing-backs. Serbia's top player is still Vanja Milinkovic-Savic, who started against the Three Lions and played every minute of the qualifiers; Chelsea goalkeeper Djorje Petrovic had to settle for a backup position.

Head To Head And Previous Matches

Both countries have won one of their four clashes, with the other two ending in draws. Since 2010, there have been four encounters between the two countries; in the UEFA Nations League, they will face twice more. Slovenia, which is often placed behind Serbia in the FIFA rankings, has a decent record, although it needs to be evident from the games between the two.

Despite having such different first days, both teams should take heart from their outcomes. Slovenia rallied from behind to tie 1-1 with Denmark, while Serbia narrowly lost 1-0 to England but played well in the second half of that encounter.

The outsiders in the group, Slovenia, could target qualifying here by referencing their respectable head-to-head against Serbia. So far, in this format, four points have always been sufficient to advance to the knockout round. Though Serbia will be up against it, they could yet be able to qualify with a victory here.

Certainly, Serbia has the players to merit preference in this game. Though we have seen enough times in international football that the top players don't always make the best team, their players perform at a level above most of the Slovenian squad. Slovenia has enough qualities to harm the Serbians, as well as the resolve to stick with it and make life extremely unpleasant for their neighbors.

Slovenia and Serbia square off at Munich Arena on June 20 at 2:00 PM in the second round of Euro 2024 group stage matches.

When Erik Janža's strong drive sailed past goalie Kasper Schmeichel with 13 minutes left, Slovenia, who also played Denmark in qualifying, overturned Christian Eriksen's opening. "We treated them too much respect in the first half," Slovenian manager Matjaš Kek stated. A lot of my guys have never participated in a tournament this size. They began to play when we realized anything was feasible. Hopefully, this will teach us something.

Head coach Dragan Stojković of Serbia said his team deserved more after losing 1-0 against England to start their Euro 2024 qualifying campaign. Jordan Pickford had to make a last-minute save to stop Dušan Vlahović as the Serbs mounted a dramatic comeback after England had taken the lead in the thirteenth minute thanks to a Jude Bellingham header.

Our Predictions

Serbia to win, and both teams are to score at @4.00 on Sky247.ng

The Serbian people have low expectations for this team after their dismal 2022 World Cup performance in Qatar and an even poorer 2024 Euro qualification campaign.

Still, this squad has enough talent to win against any team in the globe on any given day. They have shown this many times, most recently in the last test before the European Championship, when they defeated Sweden 3-0.

With a better roster than Slovenia, Serbia should be regarded as the obvious favorite to win their first point of the competition on Thursday.

Concerning the Slovenians, they made a significant impact by drawing 1-1 with Denmark. With Andraz Sporar and Benjamin Sesko, they possess two attackers. The latter demonstrated his potential for danger in the tournament opener, striking the post with a powerful blow against the Danes.

We can see Slovenia scoring against a porous Serbian defense. We have a 4.00 odds for both teams to score a bet and Serbia to win in these conditions.

Dusan Vlahovic to score any time @3.20 on Sky247.ng

Among the top scorers in Europe is Dusan Vlahovic. In the first game against England, the Juventus striker showed some of his skill by making a few risky chances.

Naturally, Vlahovic will have much more room to perform against Slovenia on Thursday night. Slovenia scored goals in four of their last five games.

With the 3.20 odds on offer for Vlahovic to score anytime in Munich, the value is thus enormous.

Elevate your betting experience with Sky247 Nigeria. Join now and discover a thrilling world of sports, live events, and exclusive bonuses. Bet with confidence on your favorite teams and games.