Learn English Through Football

The European Championships have finally started and we continue our series of previews, spotlighting Group E, may pundits’ group of death. This group has Belgium, Sweden, the Republic of Ireland, and Italy. Listen to the report by clicking below, while explanations of key vocabulary (in bold) can be found at the bottom of the post.

Euro 2016 Preview – Group E

Euro 2016 Group E



Country
Nationality
Nickname
FIFA Ranking



Belgium
Belgian
The Red Devils
2


Italy
Italian
Azzurri
12


Rep. of Ireland
Irish
The Boys in Green
33


Sweden
Swedish
Blågult (The Blue Yellow)
35



Belgium
Top ranked in Europe The Red Devils are a side packed with talent – de Bruyne, Courtois, Hazard, Lukaku – and if all fire on all cylinders, Belgium will go a long way in the tournament. They are strong in all areas, and the only doubt is whether they can play as a team, rather than a collection of individual stars. In the 2014 World Cup, they reached the quarter finals, but this was seen as a disappointment. Their coach, Marc Wilmots, will be hoping to improve on that last eight finish.
Italy
Tournement team The Italian side have a proud tradition of performing well in the big tournaments. Form goes out the window when the Azzurri compete, and they are always well organised. They go in to this competition arguably light up top, but with a strong defence featuring Buffon between the sticks, and in front of him, Bonnuci, Barzagli and Chiellini – all from Juventus. This solid platform should make them difficult to break down. The coach, Conte, will also want to end his tenure on a high.
Republic of Ireland
Underdogs. Few expect Ireland to get out of this group, but with group E likely to be tight, the Boys in Green will be hoping hey can pull off one top result and bag three points from somewhere. A result like the 1-0 defeat of Germany in qualifying, which saw them secure the third qualifying place. They will hope to avoid the embarrassment of the last Euros, which saw them concede nine goals in three games and only find the net once. In Martin O’Neill they have an experienced coach, but he may struggle to keep them in with a shout.
Sweden
A one man side?All eyes with be on Zlatan Ibrahimovich, Sweden’s star player, who will most likely be playing in his last major international tournament. Without the 34-year old, Sweden look a bit pedestrian, and Sweden’s opponents will be keen to mark him out of the game. Kim Kallstrom, playing at Grasshoper, is another experienced player that Sweden will hope can shield the back four – the defence itself looks reliable – and start attacking moves. Sweden may progress under the radar and once in the knockout stages, who knows?
Prediction
A lot will hinge on the Sweden v Republic of Ireland game. A win for either would mean the loser facing an uphill battle to qualify.