June 16th 2024.
Tonight, England and Serbia will face off in the group stage of Euro 2024 in Gelsenkirchen. The Three Lions are determined to make a strong start in their pursuit of their first major trophy in 58 years, and will kick off their campaign against Group C opponents Serbia.
Thankfully, England manager Gareth Southgate has a fully fit squad at his disposal for this highly anticipated match. Fans were concerned about the fitness of players such as John Stones, Bukayo Saka, and Luke Shaw in the lead up, but they can now breathe a sigh of relief.
Once the players take to the field, Southgate's control is limited. He can only hope that the decisions made during the game will be in England's favor, and tonight's referee, Daniele Orsato, will play a crucial role in that. The tournament has already seen some controversial calls, most notably in Spain's match against Croatia, where Rodri escaped a red card despite committing a foul that could have been a game-changer.
Orsato is aware that England fans will be unforgiving if any controversial decisions go against their team, and the pressure on him will be immense. However, with his wealth of experience and familiarity with high-stakes matches, he is well-equipped to handle the scrutiny.
So, who is Daniele Orsato? He has been a FIFA-listed referee since 2010 and recently officiated his last club match in the Champions League semi-final between Borussia Dortmund and Paris Saint-Germain. After his final Serie A match, Orsato was given a guard of honor by both teams, and he was visibly emotional as he bid farewell to the league.
Although highly respected in the world of refereeing, Orsato has faced criticism in the past, with Luka Modric labeling his performance in Croatia's World Cup semi-final against Argentina as "one of the worst" and "a disaster." Even Jose Mourinho has spoken out against Orsato's decisions, blaming him for Roma's loss to Lazio in the Coppa Italia.
Joining Orsato on the officiating team in Gelsenkirchen will be Ciro Carbone and Alessandro Giallatini as assistant referees, Massimiliano Irrati as the video assistant referee, Paolo Valeri and Catalin Popa as assistant video assistant referees, and Ivan Kruzliak as the fourth official.
Southgate is confident in his team's ability to win the tournament this year and plans to utilize their talented young players in Germany. In their first match against Serbia, Phil Foden and Bukayo Saka are expected to start alongside Harry Kane, with Jude Bellingham, Declan Rice, and Trent Alexander-Arnold rounding out the midfield. In defense, Kieran Trippier will likely start on the left flank to avoid risking Shaw's fitness, while Marc Guehi, Kyle Walker, and Stones will protect goalkeeper Jordan Pickford.
After the game against Serbia, England will face Denmark on June 20, where they will reunite with familiar faces such as Kasper Schmeichel, Christian Eriksen, and Rasmus Hojlund. Their final group-stage match will be against Slovenia on June 25.
The match between England and Serbia will kick off at 8pm BST and will be broadcast live on BBC One, with a live stream available on BBC iPlayer. So, get ready to cheer on the Three Lions as they begin their journey towards Euro 2024 glory.
[This article has been trending online recently and has been generated with AI. Your feed is customized.]
[Generative AI is experimental.]
