The much-anticipated Euro 2016 is less than a week away. Here is a quick look at the five group games that could leave fans begging for more action at the end of regular time.
1. Germany vs Poland
World Champions Germany come into this fixture with a star studded squad which includes the likes of Bayern Munich’s Thomas Muller, Man United’s Bastian Schweinsteiger, Arsenal’s Mesut Ozil and Liverpool’s Emre Can. On the other hand, all eyes will be on the lethal Robert Lewandowski on Poland’s side. The 27-year-old scored 42 goals in 52 appearances for Bayern Munich in the just-concluded season, and is set to be the chief-tormentor in this fixture.
Date: June 16
Lewandowski (left) in action against Germany midfielder Christoph Kramer (center) in a previous match.jpg)
Head to head: The two sides have met 12 times, with Germany registering 8 wins, 3 draws and 1 defeat
2. Belgium vs Italy
Sitting at the second spot in the latest FIFA world rankings behind Argentina, Belgium boast of a star-studded squad which includes the likes of Everton’s Romelu Lukaku, Manchester City’s Kevin De Bruyne, Chelsea’s Eden Hazard against Italy’s Marco Verratti, Giorgio Chellini, and Graziano Pelle.
Date: June 13
Belgium's Romelu Lukaku is tackled by Italy's defender Girgio Chiellini (on the ground)
Head to head: Belgium and Italy have played each other 10 times. Out of the ten meetings, the Red Devils have won 3 times, drawn 4 times and lost 3 times.
3. Croatia vs Spain
This match is set to showcase an epic battle of the midfield. It features two of the best midfielders in La Liga; Luka Modric and Ivan Rakitic for Croatia, and Andres Iniesta and Sergio Busquets for Spain. Other notable mentions include Chelsea’s Cesc Fabregas and Juventus’ Alvaro Morata for Spain, and Croatia’s Mario Mandzukic who also plays for Juventus.
Date: June 21
Croatia's Mario Mandzukic (left) fights for the ball with Spain's Sergio Busquets
Head to head: Croatia have faced Spain five times, won only once, drawn once, and lost thrice.
4. Albania vs Switzerland
This will be an emotional derby due to the migration of more than a quarter million Albanians to Switzerland during the Kosovo War. The migration also affected Stoke City’s Xherdan Shaqiri who became a Swiss citizen through naturalization, and has an Albanian citizenship. Interestingly, due to the migration and separation during the war, Arsenal’s new signing Granit Xhaka, who plays for Switzerland, will come face to face against his brother Taulant Xhaka, who plays for Albania.
Date: June 11
The Xhakas battle it out in previous international match between Albania and Switzerland 
Head to head: The Albanians have not beaten Switzerland in their last six attempts. They have registered only one draw and five defeats
5. Republic of Ireland vs Sweden
This particular match will have special interest among Man United fans as they keep a close eye on Sweden’s Zlatan Ibramovic, who is expected to join the Red Devils this summer. The 34-year-old scored 52 goals in 53 appearances for Ligue 1 giants Paris Saint-Germain last season, and many Man United fans, including Zlatan’s fans and critics, would want to see whether he still has what it takes to achieve more greatness next season with his yet-to-be-confirmed club. Republic of Ireland’s superstars to watch include Southampton’s Shane Long, Stoke City’s Jon Walters and Sunderland’s John O’Shea.
Date: June 13
Sweden's Zlatan Ibrahimovic (left) fights for the ball with John O'Shea from the Republic of Ireland
Head to head: Out of their last 10 meetings, the Republic of Ireland has won only thrice, drawn twice and lost five times.
All said and done, the opening match of the tournament between France and Romania on June 10 is also worth watching. This match could set the right tempo for the hosts to try and win the tournament on home soil, just like they did in 1984 as the hosts.
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