Sports Mole takes an in-depth look at how Slovakia could line up for Sunday’s Euro 2024 clash with England.
After edging through Euro 2024‘s tightest group by a whisker, Slovakia‘s reward is a last-16 clash with England on Sunday.
The Falcons fly on to Gelsenkirchen, where head coach Francesco Calzona is set to keep faith with his tried and trusted spine: goalkeeper Martin Dubravka, captain and defensive enforcer Milan Skriniar, and deep-lying playmaker Stanislav Lobotka.
Ondrej Duda – who scored against Romania last time out – and Juraj Kucka join Lobotka in an experienced three-man midfield, forming an integral part of a 4-3-3 formation.
Slovakia’s starting sides to this point of the competition have had an average age of over 30 years, with 109-cap veteran Kucka being kept company by his fellow 37-year-old, flying full-back Peter Pekarik.
It is only up front that Calzona’s options are relatively youthful, as Slovan Bratislava striker David Strelec and 24-year-old Robert Bozenik fight it out to spearhead an attacking triumvirate.
Lukas Haraslin and Ivan Schranz are favourites to flank either front man, while young Tomas Suslov has been restricted to a substitute role thus far.
So far, Slavia Prague forward Schranz has scored twice in three games at Euro 2024, including the winner against Belgium in Slovakia’s Group E opener.
Slovakia possible starting lineup: Dubravka; Pekarik, Vavro, Skriniar, Hancko; Kucka, Lobotka, Duda; Schranz, Strelec, Haraslin
> Click here to see how England could line up for this last-16 contest
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