Jimmy's Punt: Euro 2024 tips and predictions for matchday one
Football betting tips: Euro 2024
1pt Rodri to be shown a card at 5/1 (Sky Bet)
0.5pts Rodri, Dani Carvajal, Marcelo Brozovic to be shown cards at 47/1 (Sky Bet)
A new directive has been brought in for Euro 2024 which only allows the captains of a nation to approach the referee, any other player does so at the risk of being booked.
I for one applaud this premise, not just because I plan on taking advantage of it in the player card markets - how dare you.
That is the thinking though. I’m touting the players, who do not captain their nation, to be booked across matchday one of the tournament.
A word to the wise though, new directives tend to be strongly enforced early on before fizzling out pretty quickly.
I remember when they tried to push something similar at the start of the EFL season. Eight players were booked in the curtain raiser (Sheffield Wednesday 1-2 Southampton) and 65 cards shown across matchday one, dropping to 58 across matchday two, 56 on four and 51 by the tenth round of fixtures.
You get the gist. We’ll have to strike while the iron’s hot in Germany.
That’s the premise of the second edition of Jimmy’s Punt where I am touting a handful of player bookings in various combinations.
No doubt it will blow up in my face when players avoid the new approach and the referee's cards remain firmly in their pockets.
Nevertheless, I’ll be roaring on poor sportsmanship from Gelsenkirchen, where I’ll be spending the weekend having heard the pilsner pairs lovely with a card or two.
What it does mean is you'll have to wait until the back end of next week for my next column - sorry not sorry.
Team captains
- Albania - Berat Djimsiti
- Austria - Konrad Laimer
- Belgium - Kevin De Bruyne/Romelu Lukaku
- Croatia - Luka Modric
- Czechia - Tomas Soucek
- Denmark - Simon Kjær
- England - Harry Kane
- France - Kylian Mbappe
- Germany - Ilkay Gundogan
- Georgia - Guram Kashia
- Hungary - Dominik Szoboszlai
- Italy - Gianluigi Donnarumma
- Netherlands - Virgil van Dijk
- Poland - Robert Lewandowski
- Portugal - Cristiano Ronaldo
- Romania - Nicolae Stanciu
- Scotland - Andy Robertson
- Serbia - Dusan Tadic
- Slovenia - Jan Oblak
- Slovakia - Milan Škriniar
- Switzerland - Granit Xhaka
- Spain - Alvaro Morata
- Turkey - Hakan Çalhanoğlu
- Ukraine - Oleksandr Zinchenko/Taras Stepanenko/Andriy Yarmolenko
Spain vs Croatia
- Kick-off time: 17:00 BST, Saturday
- TV channel: ITV1
- Home 10/11 | Draw 23/10 | Away 3/1
Spain vs Croatia odds, form and stats in our new and improved live match centre
Luis de la Fuente has made Alvaro Morata the Spanish captain. I can’t quite put my finger on why but it doesn’t sit right with me, especially with RODRI and DANI CARVAJAL amongst La Roja’s ranks.
From a punting point of view, it does mean the latter two run the risk of picking up cautions.
Rodri is the standout price at 5/1 TO BE SHOWN A CARD.
Eight yellows and a red card domestically this term alongside two in qualification - the midfielder is not exactly in the referees' good books.
As the interview below shows, Rodri can be a bit of a spiky character if things don’t go his way and if there is one team in the tournament that can frustrate Spain, it is the vastly experienced Croatia.
BuildABet @ 47/1
- Rodri to be shown a card
- Dani Carvajal to be shown a card
- Marcelo Brozovic to be shown a card
CLICK HERE to back with Sky Bet
It should be a fascinating battle in the middle of the park between the Manchester City man and Croatia’s old guard.
Luka Modric and MARCELO BROZOVIC started every game together in Croatia's middle three en route to Germany, the pair have a combined age of 69.
The latter was carded twice, taking his international tally to 22 (0.27 cards per 90).
ALREADY ADVISED
1pt Kai Havertz to be shown a card at 15/2 (Sky Bet)
0.5pts Kai Havertz, Scott McTominay, Billy Gilmour, Antonio Rudiger to be shown a cards at 425/1 (Sky Bet)
Germany vs Scotland
- Kick-off time: 20:00 BST, Friday
- TV channel: ITV1
- Home 1/4 | Draw 9/2 | Away 19/2
Germany vs Scotland odds, form and stats in our new and improved live match centre
Regardless of the new rule, KAI HAVERTZ’s price TO BE SHOWN A CARD is simply too big at 15/2, the same bet is as short as 18/5 elsewhere.
The frontman notched up 11 cards in the Premier League this term but not just for foul play, simulation and time wasting were also part of his repertoire.
Three of his cards were for arguments as well, so there is every chance he pushes his look with the referee on Friday.
BuildABet @ 425/1
- Kai Havertz to be shown a card
- Scott McTominay to be shown a card
- Billy Gilmour to be shown a card
- Antonio Rudiger to be shown a card
CLICK HERE to back with Sky Bet
I also think SCOTT MCTOMINAY deserves a mention.
Although the Manchester United man has not been nearly as cynical as Havertz in the Premier League this term, he will have his work cut out in the middle of the park for the Tartan Army.
McTominay's price divides opinion with the bookies and his last two cards come for time wasting and an argument which is interesting. I just have an inkling he may fall foul of the new rule.
Honourable mentions also go to Billy Gilmour (9/2) and Antonio Rudiger (11/2). Putting them alongside Havertz and McTominay pays out at 425/1 which certainly provides some interest for the curtain raiser.
Odds correct at 1000 BST (12/06/24)
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