Group E promises fierce competition among three teams except Belgium, which are already tagged as favorites to emerge as group winners. However, the Red Devils should prove their status by competing with Romania, Slovakia, and Ukraine in this group. Will there be upsets? Our Euro 2024 Group E betting preview reveals the prospects of each team in Group E.
Group stage kicks off for teams on June 17th, with all matches concluding by June 26th. The action will unfold across five stadiums, with the opening match between Romania and Ukraine taking place at the Allianz Arena in Munich. This is the only group at Euro 2024 with two teams outside the top 40.
| ℹ️ Tournament: | UEFA Euro Championship 2024, Group E |
| ⚽️ Venues: | Venues in Cologne, Munich, Stuttgart, Frankfurt, and Düsseldorf |
| 🗓️ Dates: | 17 June – 26 June 2024 |
The best EURO 2024 bookmakers have already revealed the odds for the teams in Group E to grab the top spot and progress as group winners:
Belgium has the best Euro 2024 Group E betting odds to win this group. They possess high-profile players capable of delivering standout performances against any team. Most bookies expect Ukraine and Romania to finish in second and third place. Slovakia is expected to round out the group with a fourth-place finish.
Belgium is expected to dominate Group E, having been ranked third in the world as of April 2024. Domenico Tedesco’s squad had a smooth qualification as the Red Devils won six and drew two of their eight games, conceding just four goals. Romelu Lukaku, the top scorer in qualifying with 14 goals, leads their attack.
Kevin De Bruyne, Amadou Onana, Leandro Trossard, and Jerémy Doku are part of the Belgian contingent to Germany. Belgium has the potential to win the group, given their squad options. Despite possessing an aging team, they are expected to go deep in this competition.
The battle for the qualifying spot in Group E kicks off with Ukraine taking on Romania in the group opener. Despite being the only one coming through the playoffs, Ukraine is surprisingly favored to finish second. Finishing third in a qualifying group behind England and Italy is no small feat, especially when level on points with Italy.
Ukraine lacked a consistent goal threat during qualifying. It’s interesting to note that ten different players found the net, and this unpredictability can be an advantage. Only Viktor Tsyhankov (3 goals) and Artem Dovbyk (2 goals) managed more than one in qualifying and playoffs combined. To reach the knockout stages, Ukraine will need a more clinical edge in front of goal.
Romania returns to a major tournament for the first time in eight years, having missed Euro 2020 and the last six World Cups. The team’s last taste of knockout-stage football came back in 2000. Emerging from Pot 3, Romania went through undefeated, thanks to a solid defense that conceded only five goals in 10 matches.
The defense is anchored by center-backs Radu Drăgușin, who joined Tottenham in January, and Andrei Burcă, both ever-present during qualifying. While Romania lost 3-0 to Colombia in a friendly in March, they had been unbeaten in their previous 12 matches. This indicates they could challenge the giant teams in this group.
At Euro 2016, Slovakia secured third place in their group with four points, qualifying as the best-performing third-place team. However, in Euro 2020, they earned one point less and finished last among the third-place teams. Without a World Cup appearance since 2010, these performances mark their most recent tournament experience. In the Euro 2024 qualifiers, Slovakia finished second to Portugal, losing only to them.
Their qualifying group included Bosnia and Herzegovina, Iceland, Liechtenstein, and Luxembourg. Francesco Calzona’s team will look up to key players such as Ondrej Duda, Lukáš Haraslín, Milan Škriniar, and Martin Dúbravka. Despite being overlooked, Slovakia could cause some upsets in this group and finish in the qualifying spot.
| Matchup | Date | Venue | Predicted Winner |
|---|---|---|---|
| Romania vs Ukraine | June 17 | Allianz Arena, Munich, Germany | Ukraine |
| Belgium vs Slovakia | June 17 | Deutsche Bank Park, Frankfurt, Germany | Belgium |
| Slovakia vs Ukraine | June 21 | Düsseldorf Arena, Düsseldorf, Germany | Ukraine |
| Belgium vs Romania | June 22 | RheinEnergieStadion, Cologne, Germany | Belgium |
| Ukraine vs Belgium | June 26 | Stuttgart Arena, Stuttgart, Germany | Draw |
| Slovakia vs Romania | June 26 | Deutsche Bank Park, Frankfurt, Germany | Draw |
We expect Belgium and Ukraine to clinch victories in their opening two games, transforming the head-to-head meeting into formality. However, none of the matches will be easy against Slovakia and Romania, although we don’t expect any of them to qualify for knockouts.
Here are our Euro 2024 Group E predictions:
2 (67%)
(33%) 1
Belgium boasts world-class talent across the pitch. Kevin De Bruyne’s playmaking abilities and Romelu Lukaku’s attacking prowess give them a significant edge. This Belgian team has been competing at the highest level for a decade. They understand the pressure of major tournaments and have experience closing out games against weaker opponents.
Slovakia also possesses strength and steel at the back in the face of Škriniar but lacks depth in attacking positions. This might let them down while facing one of the tournament’s favorites. Given the disparity in talent between both teams, bookies expect Belgium to win their group opener, and we recommend looking at this EURO 2024 betting odds, which look like easy cash.
1 (50%)
(50%) 1
This clash could be pivotal in deciding the group’s second-place finisher, and both teams will undoubtedly give it their all. Given this mindset among the players and coaches and the lack of pressure because of the opening game, a scoreline where both teams find the back of the net is a plausible outcome. A historical trend supports this prediction, as both nations have scored in each of their three previous encounters. Similarly, Romania has managed to keep only two clean sheets in their last five matches in all competitions. Ukraine also shares this record, achieving two clean sheets over the same period. This recurring pattern suggests a high likelihood of both teams scoring in this match-up.
2 (100%)
0
This will be Ukraine’s 4th appearance at the Euro championship, and they are well-positioned to secure a spot right behind Belgium. Their game plan heavily leans on the offensive prowess of Mykhailo Mudryk and Artem Dovbyk, who can be deadly in attack. The team will also reap the benefits of their new head coach, Serhiy Rebrov, who has enough experience. Rebrov’s early tenure has been promising, with six victories and three draws in his first 10 matches at the helm. His illustrious managerial record, including league title wins with Dynamo Kyiv, Ferencvaros, and Al Ain, further bolsters Ukraine’s ambitions. Ukraine is expected to advance to the next round of this tournament. Local and overseas sports betting values this option with 1.50 (5/4) odds.
To bet on Group E Euro 2024, here are our best picks:
Belgium looks set to cruise to the top spot in Group E. The real battle will be for the remaining one or two qualification places, which could see a tense three-way fight. You can earn some extra cash by betting on football using our predictions.
