Group C: Germany vs Ukraine
What channel is it on?
BBC One
What time does it start?
Coverage starts at 7.35pm; kickoff is at 8pm
Where is it being played?
Stade Pierre-Mauroy, Lille.
140-character preview
Germany kick off their bid to add a Euro title to the World Cup they won in Brazil with a couple of key players absent.
Germany player to watch
Thomas Müller. Can’t stop scoring when it comes to World Cups, yet to find the net in a European Championship. As he’s shown throughout his time at Bayern, a big game player.
Ukraine player to watch
Yevhen Konoplyanka. Fresh from his first year in La Liga with Sevilla, the winger can undoubtedly cause a few problems for any team with his pace. Ukraine’s main man.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zBSGaakkUsc
Why will Germany win?
Because they’re German.
Why will Ukraine win?
They might be facing world champions, but this German side has struggled for form since their win over Argentina a couple of years ago. They’ve lost seven games since lifting the World Cup and if they have an off-night in Lille, Ukraine’s mixture of compact defending and pacey counter-attacking could pose a threat.
SportsJOE drinking game buzzwords
German efficiency; Thomas Müller is the new Miroslav Klose; Germany are a tournament team; difficult to break down; resilient defending; something about penalties (even though it’s only the group stage)
Headline predictions
Ukraine are Müllered; Lowest of the Löw