When is it? How can you watch it? What are the possible line-ups?
Denmark and Serbia meet in their Third Group C match at UEFA EURO 2024.
Denmark and Serbia at a glance
When: Wednesday 26 June (03:00 GMT+8 kick-off)
Where: Munich Football Arena
What: UEFA EURO 2024 Group C Matchday 3
What do you need to know?
The permutations are complicated, and who finishes third in Group C will also depend on what happens when England meet Slovenia, but for Denmark and Serbia the top-line figures are pretty simple: they both need to win. Kasper Hjulmand’s side have drawn both of their games so far 1-1; Dragan Stojković’s team have just the one point, their 1-0 loss to England followed by a 1-1 draw with Slovenia, earned by a late Luka Jović goal.
The countries’ previous ten meetings have ended with five wins apiece, but the momentum is very much with the Danes, who have won their four most recent encounters. Plenty of members of the current squad will remember a 3-0 friendly victory for the hosts in Copenhagen in March 2020, Joakim Mæhle, Jesper Lindstrøm and Christian Eriksen the scorers. Denmark can also call on greater recent EURO experience, but as Slovenia discovered last time out, Serbia do not give up easily.
Possible line-ups
Denmark: Schmeichel; Andersen, Christensen, Vestergaard; Kristiansen, Hjulmand, Eriksen, Højbjerg, Mæhle; Højlund, Wind
Misses next match if booked: Hjulmand, Nørgaard, Mæhle, Vestergaard
Serbia: Rajković; Veljković, Milenković, Pavlović; Živković, Ilić, Lukić, Mladenović; Tadić, Samardžić; Mitrović
Misses next match if booked: Gaćinović, Gudelj, Jović, Lukić, Mladenović, Tadić
Form guide
Denmark:
Form (all competitions, most recent first): DDWWWD
Serbia:
Form (all competitions, most recent first): DLWLWL
Expert predictions
Sture Sandø, Denmark reporter
The Denmark machine went like clockwork against England, and the only thing missing was the three points. Kasper Hjulmand will do everything he can to engineer a repeat of that performance against Serbia, where a victory will seal Denmark a spot in the round of 16. A draw could turn out to be enough, but don’t expect them to be counting on that. The message from coach Hjulmand and his players is clear: they are in Munich to win!
Aleksandra Stojković, Serbia reporter
It is ‘to be or not to be’ time for the Eagles, who kept their fate in their own hands with a last-gasp equaliser against Slovenia. The pressure is high but this generation of players, led by coach Stojković, showed that they can prevail under pressure, and are used to being underdogs. The starting XI remains uncertain, with Serbia arguably yet to find the perfect combination. This game would be a great time to do so.
What the coaches say
Kasper Hjulmand, Denmark coach: “We miss standing in the dressing room and singing our victory song after we have won a match. We know a draw is enough, but we play the match like any other football match, which we want to win. [Serbia] are a very, very good team. They gave England a lot of problems, I think. It could have been a draw. They had great chances in the next one [against Slovenia]. [They are] very powerful and skilful, and we have great respect for them.”
Dragan Stojković, Serbia coach: “Denmark are a really strong side. They have excellent players. They’re a very tough side. They haven’t won but also haven’t lost in two games. That means they’re an organised team who sacrifice a lot on the pitch. It’s going to be very hard, but now it’s time to change [our recent record against them]. We’ll do our best to have a good game.”