France eye Euro 2020 quarter-finals as Modric plots Spain downfall

World Cup holders France are in Euro 2020 action later tonight as they face Switzerland in Bucharest looking to secure a place in the quarter-finals, while Luka Modric leads Croatia into battle against Spain.

The pre-tournament favourites, France have so far struggled to find their best form in this competition after following a narrow opening win over Germany with draws against Hungary and Portugal.

Kylian Mbappe has not yet found the net and coach Didier Deschamps has been hit by injuries to a number of fringe members of his team, but Les Bleus are still expected to have too much for their Swiss neighbours in the Romanian capital.

“We have turned the page now on the group phase, which required a lot of effort from us, and now we are moving on to a new competition,” France captain Hugo Lloris said on Sunday. The odds head or tail favour France as Switzerland, who qualified for the last 16 as one of the best third-placed sides, have not won a knockout tie at a major tournament since the 1930s and it would be an enormous shock  and huge upset if they ousted the defending world champions.

Croatia and Spain meeting in Monday’s other game in Copenhagen.

The match pits the 2008 and 2012 European champions against the 2018 World Cup runners-up who are led by Luka Modric.

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The 35-year-old midfielder is a well-known figure in Spain having spent the last nine years at Real Madrid and starred in the 3-1 win over Scotland that took Croatia through to the knockout phase.

“Modric has done great things with Real Madrid, he has won the Ballon d’Or, he has done great things with Croatia, so it’s going to be a great battle in midfield,” said Spain’s Atletico Madrid star Koke.