Euro 2024: Sweden Test for New Belgium Boss

Sweden vs Belgium

Domenico Tedesco will take charge of Belgium for the first time in competition when his Euro 2024 qualifying campaign gets underway in Sweden on Friday.

These two proud football nations are in group F, alongside Austria, Azerbaijan and Estonia, and both will expect to make the finals, so it couldn’t be much trickier for the new Red Devils head coach, appointed in February following the departure of Roberto Martinez.          

The pre-match Sweden vs Belgium betting odds are backing the visitors but the hosts, managed by Janne Anderson since 2016, come into the game on the back of four wins and, having missed out on the World Cup in Qatar the Swedes are determined to start this campaign with a victory. 

Talking Points

Will Sweden unleash Ibra?

One player sure to write some Sweden vs Belgium news headlines, if he makes an appearance, is the phenomenon that is Zlatan Ibrahimovc.

Yep – he’s still playing, still scoring and has been recalled to the Sweden squad for the upcoming fixtures. The AC Milan striker became the oldest scorer in Serie A history when he converted a penalty against Udinese at the weekend, and there is nothing the crowd at the Friends Arena in Stockholm would love more than to see the great man strutting his stuff.

At 41 Ibra is in superb condition and has the swagger, the skill and the will to score goals for his country and the Belgium defence won’t be too cheerful to see him on the pitch. With 62 in 121 for Sweden he is a legend; but the Milan man may have to content himself with a start on the bench as he faces competition from Alexander Isak who has just started to hit a hot streak of form for Newcastle United. Whoever starts up front can count on a decent supply of chances from Spurs winger Dejan Kulusevski, a dangerous striker with superb delivery, and the experienced Emil Forsberg a fine attacking midfielder. Forsberg’s Red Bull Leipzig had a nightmare when they met Manchester City in the Champions League last week, losing 7-0, and he would love to get even with the Sky Blues magician Kevin De Bruyne who he will meet again in Stockholm. 

While most of Europe’s top teams headed to Qatar for the 2022 World Cup Sweden took a breather from competitive football; but they won four friendlies during November and December, including a victory over Mexico, and they will look to take that momentum into the Euros.  

The Tedesco era begins 

Belgium bombed out of the World Cup at the group stage and the fallout included the departure of head coach Roberto Martinez, who immediately fell on his sword. The ‘Golden Generation’ of Red Devils underachieved yet again and now Tedesco has the task of bucking the trend. He’s been given a contract which runs until the end of Euro 2024 for which qualification is the very least expectation. Still only 37 years old, Tedesco has already built up a good CV. He managed Schalke 04 before heading to Russia where he had a successful stint as boss of Spartak Moscow and then he moved on to Red Bull Leipzig in 2021 where he won the DFB Pokal Final in 2022. A poor start to the 2022/23 campaign saw him losing his position in September and now he has the chance to prove himself again.

Tedesco’s first job is to get his talented group of stars motivated and to pick themselves up from a woeful campaign in Qatar. As well as giving Red Bull Leipzig a run-around Kevin De Bruyne starred in Manchester City’s FA Cup mauling of Burnley on Saturday, but there has always been a curiosity in that he has struggled to replicate his incredible Premier League form for his country.

The Red Devils have not been the most harmonious bunch of players but they need to work together and De Bruyne has a leading role on the pitch. He, alongside Arsenal’s Leandro Trossard, needs to keep Romelu Lukaku well supplied with scoring chances.      

History

Sweden have made seven appearances at the European Championships, the first in 1992 and their semi-final appearance remains their best performance so far, meanwhile Belgium have made six appearances and were finalists in 1980.     

Belgium have won all three encounters with Sweden, the last meeting in 2016 but recent form favours the hosts, who are unbeaten in five and have won the last six games.   

Betting Tip

At SBOTOP odds of 2.07 the Red Devils are the favourites to win this fascinating tie, with Sweden at 2.85 and the draw at 3.16. But the hosts have plenty of ability in their ranks and with home advantage, and the Ibra effect, I’m backing them to give Tedesco a baptism of fire.

 

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