Round of 16 action continues at Euro 2020 as Netherlands take on the Czech Republic in Budapest before one of the headline matches of the r...
Round of 16 action continues at Euro 2020 as Netherlands take on the Czech Republic in Budapest before one of the headline matches of the round takes place in Sevilla when Belgium face defending champions Portugal for a place in the quarter-final.
Here’s a preview of the two ties and everything you need to know about the match-ups:
Match 1: Netherlands vs Czech Republic
The Czech Republic will enter Sunday’s last-16 game against the Netherlands at Euro 2020 as the odds-on favourites, at least when it comes to the history of their head-to-head encounters.
Since the Czech Republic emerged as an independent state in 1993, its national team has won five games and lost three against the Dutch, on top of three draws.
Before that, Czechoslovakia memorably beat the Netherlands on the way to their only European Championship title in Belgrade in 1976, having edged Johan Cruyff and company 3-1 after extra time in the semi-final.
Czechoslovakia were not there to stop the Dutch when they won the 1988 title in West Germany.
But Czech fans cherish above all the memory of an epic battle at Euro 2004 in Portugal, won by the Czechs who came back from 2-0 down to win 3-2.
“People still remember that one best,” says Vladimir Smicer, the former...
