The group stage of the European Championship in Germany is everything. Before you could blink, it was time for the knockout matches. The playoff stage started on June 29 and will end on July 2. On Monday, July 1, France and Belgium, among others, will compete for access to the quarter-finals. The match will be held at the Merkur Spiel Arena in Dusseldorf and kick-off will sound at 19:00 Moscow time. Before making predictions, let’s get to know what the bookmakers think.
Mbappé did not return for the sake of elimination in the round of 16
France has accelerated the recovery of its star, Kylian Mbappé. The forward, who suffered a nose injury and missed the 2nd matchday, already entered the field in the 3rd. His penalty goal helped achieve a tie with the Polish team and finally reach the Euro Cup playoffs from second place.
Related materials
Portugal – Slovenia. Ronaldo can’t hack this “bus”
Despite the not so good, if not disastrous group stage, the French are the favourites for the upcoming round of 16 match against Belgium. You can bet on their victory in regular time with odds of 1.95 and on their arrival in the quarter-finals with odds of 1.41. This is 51% and 79% probability respectively.
The bookmakers estimate the success of the Belgians after 90 minutes of play at odds of 5.10, and their advancement to the next round by any means is estimated at odds of 3.06. It is curious that analysts doubt the result of the tie and extra time. This option is presented on the line with a coefficient of 3.20, which is equivalent to a 31% probability.
If you need goals, it is better to watch Portugal – Slovenia
In total, both teams scored only four goals and conceded two in six matches. The bet that worked in absolutely all cases was the one on a total of under 2.5 goals. The experts could not help but pay attention to this and therefore do not expect a great performance in the upcoming match.
You can bet on a total of over 2.5 goals at bookmakers with odds of 2.40 and on a total of under 2.5 goals at odds of 1.62. The probability is 40 to 60. And this despite the fact that both teams have players capable of scoring a goal on their own.
For example, Kylian Mbappé became the top scorer in Ligue 1 in the 2023/2024 season, and Kevin de Bruyne was included in the list of the best assists in the 2023/2024 Premier League. By the way, the French footballer’s goal is estimated at a rate of 2.20, and the Belgian’s successful shot is estimated at a rate of 5.50. Translated into probabilities: 45% and 18%, respectively.
Prediction and betting tips for the round of 16 of the Euro Cup France – Belgium (01/07/2024)
The French national team was, to put it mildly, unlucky with the draw, because there are four football giants in the same group. The French have already arrived in Belgium and so the opponents are one stronger than the other. The quarter-finals could go to Portugal and the semi-finals to Germany or Spain. To make it to the final, you will have to distribute your forces correctly.
However, first you have to go through the Belgians, which, although they do not impress, are by no means a gift. In a surprising Group E, Domenico Tedesco’s men scored four points out of a possible nine and finished second in additional indicators. They only scored twice and conceded once.
The final round match against Ukraine ended with a score of 0-0. The Ukrainians were only satisfied with victory and therefore responded with their attacks as best they could. Belgium decided to act rationally (read: cowardly). They were often cautious and in the end took their time. Captain Kevin De Bruyne advocated such a match with an intelligent approach.
Related materials
France – Belgium. Mbappé will knock out Tedesco and Lukaku
In our opinion, this is a good time to bet on the total goals under the target. The fact is that the French team itself only scored two goals in three days of the group stage. Furthermore, one of them was an own goal by the Austrian defender, and the second was scored by Kylian Mbappé from a penalty. By the way, the striker now plays with a protective mask and, probably, understanding that it is better to take care of himself for Real.
Disagreements between players and coaching staff, including the media reporting on the recent conflict between Antoine Griezmann and Didier Deschamps, are clearly not beneficial. In such situations, it would be a sin not to check the total under 2 goals with a 2.10 odds. Most likely, the French will win with a minimum score. But let’s be sure in case of 1:1.
Tender: total less than 2 goals in 2.10.
