Football News Update: Euro 2024, Champions League, FIFA World Cup, and More
In a pre-match press conference at the Arena AufSchalke, Serbia’s head coach Dragan Stojkovic faced questions about his team’s upcoming clash with England in the Euro 2024 Group C opener. Stojkovic, a Red Star Belgrade icon, responded calmly, emphasizing that his focus was on Serbia’s performance rather than his opponents.
“I am here to talk about Serbia, not England,” Stojkovic said. “They are a team that tries to be the champion of Europe, but to achieve that they have to do it on the pitch. We have all the information on the team, but we do not forget about ourselves – it’s us who have to do our parts of the job.”
Serbia’s first European Championship as an independent nation, this is an achievement worth noting, as their last appearance was in 2000 as the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia. However, with the team’s recent World Cup qualifications and failures to progress past the group stage, there is pressure to make it to the last 16 this time around.
Stojkovic’s captain, Dusan Tadic, is expected to play a central role in Serbia’s campaign. The coach remained tight-lipped on his lineup, hinting that Juventus forward Dusan Vlahovic may start on the bench, but emphasized that his team will be on the attack against England.
“Serbia will not just wait and watch England play. On the contrary, we will try to create as many problems for them. If we score first, the order is going to be score the second. It’s very simple. And whenever you score the second, you try to score another,” Stojkovic said.
The Serbian coach praised England’s talent, singling out the likes of Jude Bellingham, Phil Foden, Bukayo Saka, and Harry Kane, among others. He acknowledged the strength of the “new generation of very, very talented players” in the England team, but insisted that his side is ready to give their all in the match.
As the Euro 2024 tournament approaches, the clash between Serbia and England promises to be an exciting encounter, with both teams eager to make their mark in the competition. Fans can look forward to a thrilling match as Serbia aims to upset the favorites and secure a valuable three points in their quest to advance to the knockout stages.
🔗 Source