Spain-Ukraine is a match in the group stage of the European Under-21 Championship 2023 and will be played on Tuesday at 20:45: news, formations and predictions.
Santi Denia’s Spain have not disappointed: in their first two group stage matches, they have thrashed Romania by three goals and Croatia by one, making it two for two and keeping their goals unbeaten on both occasions.
Two successes that allowed the Iberians to qualify for the quarter-finals with one round to spare: among the main candidates for the final victory they are the ones who have impressed the most, together with England, another selection with full points. In Group B, meanwhile, the verdicts have almost all been handed down. All that remains is to find out who will qualify for the knockout phase as first and who will do so as second. Spain currently share the top spot with Ukraine, who, like Denia’s men, have won both matches played: again, a double clean sheet – 2-0 to Croatia and 1-0 to Romania – for the national team led by former Dnipro midfielder Ruslan Rotan, who scored just one goal less than the Spaniards (four against three). Ukraine has no alternative but to win if it wants to finish ahead. With a draw, however, it would be Spain who would finish top of the table, thanks to goal difference.
Group B ‘crosses’ with Group D, where in all likelihood it will be a battleship like France that will go through as first. Avoiding the transalpine bogeyman is a valid reason to do battle in the match in Bucharest, without having the nagging of qualification.
Rotan
Spain is dreaming of an epilogue like that of 2011, the year of the last head-to-head between the two national teams, which ended with a clear 3-0 in favour of the Iberians. Santi Denia is likely to give space to someone who has played little so far, but his will be a ‘moderate’ turnover.
The prediction
Spain and Ukraine already have qualification in their pockets but in Bucharest, for the reasons mentioned above, we will witness a real, potentially spectacular match. The Spaniards are favourites and should get the better of Rotan’s men, but there is a good chance Ukraine will also score at least one goal.
The official line-up for Spain v Ukraine
- SPAN U21 (4-2-3-1): Tenas; V. Gomez, Paredes, Guillamon, Miranda; Veiga, Baena; Rodri, Sancet, S. Gomez; Ruiz.
- UCRAINE U21 (4-2-3-1): Trubin; Sych, Talovierov, Batagov, Vivcharenko; Bondarenko, Brazhko; Kashchuk, Kryskiv, Mudryk; Sikan.
POSSIBLE RESULT: 2-1
