EURO 2024 DAILY PREVIEW 1 JULY: What to look out for

Belgium are aiming to beat France in a competitive match for the first time in nearly 43 years, while Portugal are hoping to avoid slipping up against Slovenia as the Uefa Euro 2024 round of 16 continues.

We preview the action in Düsseldorf and Frankfurt. Catch all the action live on SuperSport.

6PM CAT: France v Belgium (Düsseldorf)

"We did what we needed to do," was France coach Didier Deschamps' verdict after Les Bleus qualified as Group D runners-up despite failing to show their very best in a narrow win over Austria and back-to-back draws with the Netherlands and Poland.

The knockout stage is where Deschamps' team tend to come alive, though, with France progressing to the final in three of the last four major international tournaments. They did, however, lose to Switzerland in the Euro 2020 round of 16, and will certainly not be seduced by complacency in Düsseldorf as they look to avoid a similar fate.

Not since a Fifa World Cup qualifier in September 1981 have Belgium beaten France in a competitive match, and Domenico Tedesco's side face a tough task to change that record.

🇫🇷🆚🇧🇪 Mbappé & Theo Hernández scored in France's 3-2 comeback win vs Belgium in 2021...#Euro2024 pic.twitter.com/RieTylz1Oq

— UEFA Euro 2024 (@Euro2024) July 1, 2024

Midfielder Kevin De Bruyne, who has impressed so far in Germany, sent a rallying cry to his teammates: "We will probably be the underdogs against France, but if you want to win the Euro you need to beat everyone."

KEY STAT: France won 3-2 in the last meeting between these nations in 2021, with Theo Hernández scoring a late clincher in the Uefa Nations League semifinals.

9PM CAT: Portugal v Slovenia (Frankfurt)

Portugal will bid to bounce back from a surprise defeat to Georgia in their final Group F game. Having already won the section, however, coach Roberto Martínez had the privilege of being able to rest some key players, and they will no doubt be fresh and raring to go against Slovenia.

"Losing [against Georgia] will prepare our team better from a mental standpoint," said Martínez. It will be intriguing to see how the Seleção respond.

Slovenia are through to a Euro knockout phase for the first time after three battling draws in Group C, with midfielder Adam Gnezda Čerin describing the feeling as "unforgettable" after he and his teammates "made history".

The Reprezentanca are not just in the round of 16 to make up the numbers, though. They have lost only two of their last 17 competitive matches (W8 D7) and let in just two goals in the group stage, meaning their defenders should feel confident about facing Cristiano Ronaldo, Rafael Leão and Bruno Fernandes, among others.

KEY STAT: Goals from Čerin and Timi Elšnik earned Slovenia a 2-0 friendly victory in the teams' first-ever encounter earlier this year.

TUESDAY 2 JULY

6PM: Romania v Netherlands (Munich)

9PM: Austria v Türkiye (Leipzig)