England has reached the finals of two straight Euro Championships. IviBet is celebrating with a SuperBoost. Chelsea’s Marc Cucurella has committed six fouls in five Euro 2024 games. He will likely face Arsenal’s Bukayo Saka. Regarding fouls committed, England ranks as the most targeted team in Germany. Jude Bellingham and Harry Kane are among the four most fouled players. Saka has drawn ten fouls in the tournament. Last season, Cucurella fouled him twice in each Arsenal vs. Chelsea match. That’s ten fouls in total.
Spain v England
Given his record, asking Gareth Southgate’s England to beat Spain in 90 minutes is tough. Spain is a top 10 FIFA team. W7 D6 L10 failed to win 16 of 23 matches (70%), scoring 24 goals in that period. It looks even more complicated when you consider Spain. That team is certainly the finest in the entire tournament. They defeated France, Germany, Italy, and Croatia on their way to the final. They sit on top in all the following metrics:
- Most goals (2.2pg v England’s 1.2pg)
- Fewest conceded (0.5pg v England’s 0.7pg)
- Most expected goals for (11.1 v England’s 5.6)
- Most big chances created (21 v England’s 11)
- Most possession won in final 3rd (7.3 v 3.7)
Spain has excelled in creating chances and winning the ball back high up the pitch. They’ve won 14 of their last 18 games (78%) in 90 minutes over the past year. At that time, England won 3 of 11. By averaging Spain’s xG for (2.2) and England’s xG against (0.7), you arrive at 1.45. The average of England’s xG For (1.2) and Spain’s xG Against (0.5) is 0.85. So, Spain should be priced at 10/11. But, they are 7/5. So, they are a strong bet.
Player Bookings
Marc Guehi received three yellow cards in his last seven appearances in England following his substitution for Harry Maguire. He is 4/1 to get carded again. He commits the second most fouls per game for England. He must handle Spain’s rising star, Lamine Yamal, in the new back-three system. Spain leads in fouls at the tournament. So, it’s wise to pair Guehi with Robin Le Normand, who has been booked five times in his last 11 caps. Le Normand racked up 13 cards in 29 La Liga games last season and will be facing Harry Kane, who draws 1.8 fouls per game.
Star Man Yamal
We can’t miss the chance to bet on this superstar in the final. He’s had such a great tournament that he’s now favored to win senior and young player awards. You can wager on him with odds of 9/1 to achieve two shots on target and be fouled at least twice. We’ve mentioned Marc Guehi on the other team. Yamal is averaging 2.7 shots per game, with one on target. He is fouled at least once per game. Adding Harry Kane to do the same makes it an exciting bet. Kane typically takes 2.8 shots per game, with one being on target and almost two fouls being committed against him. Together, they pay out at 100/1.
Premier League Rivals to Clash
Marc Cucurella has been a key player for Spain in Germany and will likely face Bukayo Saka on the wing. Consider betting Cucurella to make a foul on Saka with odds of 11/10.Cucurella is Spain’s fourth most frequent fouler. Saka is England’s third-most-fouled player. Last season, Cucurella fouled Saka four times in the Premier League. So, it’s worth backing him to foul Saka twice at 4/1. There may be some back-and-forth. Saka is England’s joint most frequent fouler. Cucurella is the most fouled Spaniard. A good option is to bet on both to foul each other at 4/1. Consider wagering on Cucurella and Declan Rice as the top culprits for committing fouls in their teams’ upcoming matches. Rice is England’s second most frequent fouler. He will face three of Spain’s most fouled players: Morata, Olmo, and Rodri.