Serbia seeks upset against tournament favorite England
Serbia will aim to secure a famous upset against England when the teams face off at Veltins-Arena on June 16. The sportsbooks have installed England as a +300 favorite to win Euro 2024, whereas Serbia is a +8000 outsider to lift the trophy.
However, Serbia has a fair selection of attackers within its squad. England’s defense does not look particularly formidable, and regular starter Harry Maguire is out with an injury. That could present Serbia with an opportunity to claim a major scalp on Matchday 1, but an elite English team led by Harry Kane, Phil Foden, and Jude Bellingham will have other ideas. Here’s a look at odds and lines for betting on the Euros.
Serbia might have to adopt a gung-ho strategy to win
Serbia’s strengths and weaknesses were laid bare at the 2022 World Cup. The Eagles lost 2-0 to Brazil, drew 3-3 with Cameroon, and then lost 3-2 to Switzerland, causing them to crash out at the group stage. They are typically very dangerous in attack, but a weak defense proved to be their Achilles’ heel.
Not much has changed in the ensuing 18 months. They could find it difficult to keep England’s world-class attack at bay for 90 minutes, so they may need to simply outgun their opponents. That would require them to throw caution to the wind, commit men forward, and take risks throughout the game. If the likes of Sergej Milinković-Savić and Dušan Tadić can provide striker Aleksandar Mitrović with effective service, Serbia stands a chance of success.
England’s path to victory likely includes cutting off the supply to Mitrović
England is a heavy favorite to win this game. The Three Lions are 29 places ahead of Serbia in the FIFA world rankings, and they are in excellent form right now. The likes of Bukayo Saka, Bellingham, Foden, and Eberechi Eze will face off against Serbia’s defense, aiming to create plenty of chances for Kane.
At the other end of the pitch, they will likely need to work hard in order to cut off the supply to Mitrović. The hulking Serbian striker spent five years at Fulham, so England’s players will be aware of the threat he represents. He could outmuscle the central defenders, so the key will be cutting off the supply to him. Declan Rice will need to keep Sergej Milinković-Savić in check, while the fullbacks will need to remain alert throughout the game and shackle Serbia’s wingers.
Serbia vs. England odds & lines
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Serbia vs. England player props
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Serbia expected starting 11
Vanja Milinković-Savić is Serbia’s first-choice goalkeeper. The manager often favors a 3-4-3 formation, so we could see Nikola Milenković, Strahinja Pavlović, and Milos Velković form a back-three. Srdan Babić offers another option.
Milinković-Savić is the main man in midfield. Nemanja Gudelj typically plays as a defender for Sevilla, but he is often deployed alongside Milinković-Savić in midfield for Serbia, which provides the team with a blend of steel and flair. We could then see Juventus winger Filip Kostić on the left and PAOK’s Andrija Živković on the right flank.
The manager may decide to deploy Saša Lukić and Tadić behind Aleksandar Mitrović in attack. Another option would be to drop either Gudelj or Lukić and play Tadić behind two strikers: Mitrović and Juventus forward Dušan Vlahović.
England expected starting 11
Jordan Pickford is the undisputed No. 1 goalkeeper for England. Kyle Walker will start at right-back. Luke Shaw has been nursing an injury, but he may be fit enough to start at left-back. If not, Kieran Trippier can deputize. John Stones is guaranteed to start in the center of the defense, and potential partners include Marc Guehi and Lewis Dunk.
Declan Rice will serve as the holding midfielder. Manager Gareth Southgate may deploy either Kobbie Mainoo or Trent Alexander-Arnold alongside Rice, allowing Bellingham to play as an attacking midfielder. That would require Foden to play on the left side of the attack, with Saka on the right and Kane down the middle. Alternatively, Bellingham could play in a deeper role alongside Rice, with Foden in the No. 10 role, Cole Palmer on the left, and Saka on the right.
