Europe is preparing for UEFA’s first full-blown “week of football” as the marathon Euro 2016 qualifying competition gets into full swing – although it promises to be a distinctly underwhelming experience.
England’s Danny Welbeck is challenged by Switzerland's Steve von Bergen during last month’s Euro 2016 qualifier.UEFA has heralded the new setup as “great news for football fans” but there is risk that the six solid days of international football could end up making it like background music in a shopping centre, always being played somewhere but with nobody really paying much attention.
Albania, who kicked off with a 1-0 win in Portugal, will try to pull off two more surprises when they host Denmark and visit Serbia.
Portugal themselves will start life under new coach Fernando Santos, although he will not be on the touchline for Tuesday’s visit to Denmark as he starts an eight-game ban.
Santos, who led Greece to the round-of-16 at the World Cup, has replaced Paulo Bento, who left by mutual consent following the Albania debacle.
World champions Germany visit neighbours Poland on Saturday in arguably the top clash of the six days, while neighbours Romania and Hungary, who met in the World Cup qualifiers, do battle again in Bucharest on the same day.
Apart from that, there is precious little to get excited about in the 52 games which feature the usual mismatches, such as England-San Marino today, Belgium-Andorra tomorrow, Luxemburg-Spain on Sunday and Malta-Italy on Monday. Only one match, Bosnia-Belgium on Monday, features two teams who were both at the World Cup in Brazil.
International matches have traditionally been concentrated into one or two days per month, creating a certain sense of occasion and anticipation, although that has gradually diminished over the years due to the sheer quantity of games played.
For the Euro 2016 qualifiers, however, UEFA had decided to spread the games evenly over six nights between Thursday and Tuesday.
There was a small taste of what was to come in September when there were three days of action, but this will be the first full week.
Pirlo returns
UEFA has arranged it so that matches in Groups C, E and G are played on Thursday and Sunday, matches in Groups A, B and H on Friday and Monday and Groups D, F and I on Saturday and Tuesday.
The excitement has been further diminished because the top two in each of the nine groups, plus the best third-placed team, qualify directly for Euro 2016 and the other eight third-placed sides go into a playoff round, which may provide the only real excitement of the competition.
Of the top teams, defending champions Spain have a moderately tricky trip to Slovakia today in Group C, then visit Luxembourg 72 hours later.
Italy, who have made a promising start under new coach Antonio Conte – and with playmaker Andrea Pirlo returning from his short-lived international retirement – are at home to Azerbaijan tomorrow and then travel to Malta on Monday
Germany follow Saturday’s trip to Poland with a straightforward-looking home game against Ireland on Tuesday.
Guus Hiddink, who began his second stint in charge of World Cup semi-finalists the Netherlands with a friendly defeat to Italy and qualifying loss to the Czech Republic, should get his first win at home to Kazakhstan tomorrow in Group A before heading to Iceland on Monday.
Fixtures
Group A
Tomorrow
Latvia vs Iceland - 20.45
Netherlands vs Kazakhstan - 20.45
Turkey vs Czech Republic - 20.45
Monday, October 13
Kazakhstan vs Czech Republic - 18.00
Iceland vs Netherlands - 20.45
Latvia vs Turkey - 20.45
Standings: Czech Republic, Iceland 3; Kazakhstan, Latvia 1; Netherlands, Turkey 0.
Group B
Tomorrow
Belgium vs Andorra - 20.45
Cyprus vs Israel - 20.45
Wales vs Bosnia - 20.45
Monday, October 13
Andorra vs Israel - 20.45
Bosnia vs Belgium - 20.45
Wales vs Cyprus - 20.45
Standings: Cyprus, Wales 3; Andorra, Bosnia Herzegovina, Belgium, Israel 0.
Group C
Today
Belarus vs Ukraine - 20.45
Macedonia vs Luxembourg - 20.45
Slovakia vs Spain - 20.45
Sunday, October 12
Ukraine vs Macedonia - 18.00
Belarus vs Slovakia - 20.45
Luxembourg vs Spain - 20.45
Standings: Slovakia, Spain 3; Belarus, Luxembourg 1; Macedonia, Ukraine 0.
Group D
Saturday, October 11
Ireland vs Gibraltar - 18.00
Scotland vs Georgia - 18.00
Poland vs Germany - 20.45
Tuesday, October 14
Germany vs Ireland - 20.45
Poland vs Scotland - 20.45
Gibraltar vs Georgia - 20.45
Standings: Germany, Poland, Ireland 3; Georgia, Gibraltar, Scotland 0.
Group E
Today
England vs San Marino - 20.45
Lithuania vs Estonia - 20.45
Slovenia vs Switzerland - 20.45
Sunday, October 12
Estonia vs England - 18.00
Lithuania vs Slovenia - 20.45
Tuesday, October 14
San Marino vs Switzerland - 20.45
Standings: England, Estonia, Lithuania 3; San Marino, Slovenia, Switzerland 0.
Group F
Saturday, October 11
Romania vs Hungary - 18.00
Finland vs Greece - 20.45
N. Ireland vs Faroe Islands - 20.45
Tuesday, October 14
Faroe Islands vs Hungary - 20.45
Finland vs Romania - 20.45
Greece vs Northern Ireland - 20.45
Standings: Finland, N. Ireland, Romania 3; Faroe Islands, Greece, Hungary 0.
Group G
Today
Liechtenstein vs Montenegro - 20.45
Moldova vs Austria - 20.45
Sweden vs Russia - 20.45
Sunday, October 12
Austria vs Montenegro - 18.00
Russia vs Moldova - 18.00
Sweden vs Liechtenstein - 20.45
Standings: Montenegro, Russia 3; Austria, Sweden 1; Liechtenstein, Moldova 0.
Group H
Tomorrow
Bulgaria vs Croatia - 20.45
Italy vs Azerbaijan - 20.45
Malta vs Norway - 20.45
Monday, October 13
Croatia vs Azerbaijan - 20.45
Malta vs Italy - 20.45
Norway vs Bulgaria - 20.45
Standings: Bulgaria, Croatia, Italy 3; Azerbaijan, Malta, Norway 0.
Group I
Saturday, October 11
Armenia vs Serbia - 18.00
Albania vs Denmark - 20.45
Tuesday, October 14
Denmark vs Portugal - 20.45
Serbia vs Albania - 20.45
Standings: Albania, Denmark 3; Armenia, Portugal, Serbia 0.