Gareth Southgate has urged England to grasp the opportunity to put the Three Lions' poor Euros knockout record behind them but does not feel the omens will have a negative impact on the team.
England have never won a Euros knockout match in 90 minutes, with four of those six games going to penalties – only one of those (v Spain, Euro 96) ended in a victory for the Three Lions.
It is a damning indictment of England's underachievement in the tournament throughout its history.
While Southgate believes his young team have a great chance to overcome such a poor record, he also feels the players should not feel any extra pressure because of it.
"It's an incredible record really," Southgate told reporters on Monday. "I think it's something we've talked a lot about as a team over last four years – this team has that opportunity [to buck the trend].
"In previous eras we've spoken about the past and baggage. There's no reason for these players to feel that way, as most weren't born when those games happened. It's an irrelevance for them.
"But it's a fantastic game to be involved in and great opportunity to progress to a quarter-final."
A key area for consideration before Tuesday's game is whether Ben Chilwell or Mason Mount will be involved.
Both have been isolating after being identified as close contacts of Scotland's Billy Gilmour, who tested positive for coronavirus, but they will be allowed to mix with their team-mates again from midnight on Monday.
Southgate accepts the situation certainly has not been ideal, but he thinks either player could cope if needed to start.
"They're having to travel separately to the team," Southgate added. "They have had individual training programmes this week. The only sessions they've been able to join in with is when there's not full team training. That's the basis on which we have got to make a decision.
"Clearly, it's really complicated because there's the physical periodisation that you would want for a game like this. Then there's the tactical training.
"The meetings we've had, they have to be in a separate room and dial in on Zoom. The whole experience for them, including travelling down tonight is very, very difficult.
"But they are young players who can get on with things pretty well. It's a decision I've got to take when we're looking at how they've been able to train and everything else. There's a lot wrapped up in that call."
Southgate will surely be hoping star striker Harry Kane can finally have an impact at Euro 2020, with the Tottenham forward struggling to make his mark in the group stage.
He has managed just five shots in total and only one of those was on target, with Kane on zero goals from an xG value of 1.4.
His 11 touches in the penalty area are one fewer than Che Adams of Scotland, who finished bottom of England's group – but Kane insists his performances are the least of his worries if the Three Lions continue in the tournament.
"I've always said as a striker, you go through spells, sometimes spells don't go your way," he said. "The most important thing for me is we are winning games. The first objective was to qualify, which we've done, the second is to reach the quarter-finals.
"Whether I'm scoring, the most important thing is winning. That's all I'm focusing on at the moment. However we get it done, that's our main objective and we'll do everything in our power to get through."
Ipswich Town 0-1 Crystal Palace: Mateta seals Eagles' first away win of season
Crystal Palace moved three points clear of the relegation zone after a 1-0 victory over Ipswich Town.
Jean-Philippe Mateta scored the only goal at Portman Road, where Oliver Glasner's side recorded their first away win of the league campaign.
The French striker made the decisive impact in the 59th minute, with a neat lofted finish over Arijanet Muric after a swift counter by the visitors.
Ipswich could not respond and their wait for that elusive first home win since returning to the top flight goes on.
Palace climb a place to 16th and take their tally to 12 points, which is three more than Kieran McKenna’s side, who stay 19th.
Data Debrief: Eagles end away drought as Mateta matches Johnson
Palace could be forgiven for lacking confidence upon arriving at Portman Road. Without a win in four matches – drawing three – Glasner's side had failed to record a success on the road this term.
Mateta made the difference as he became only the second Palace player to score in four successive Premier League games against newly promoted sides, after Andy Johnson in the 2004-05 season.
The Eagles held out for their first away clean sheet since their 1-0 win over Liverpool at Anfield in April.
As for Ipswich, they have now failed to score in five of their 14 league games this season, with only Everton (seven) drawing a blank more often.
‘It would mean everything’: T&T’s Kaile Auvray and Cavalier FC hungry for Caribbean Cup glory
Cavalier FC midfielder Kaile Auvray is fully aware of the significance of the 2024 Concacaf Caribbean Cup Final for both himself and his Jamaican club.
As Cavalier prepare for Tuesday’s decisive second leg against Cibao FC in Santiago de los Caballeros, Dominican Republic, Auvray is embracing the magnitude of the moment and the opportunity to etch his team’s name in the annals of Caribbean football history.
“Being part of such an exciting match, such as the Caribbean Cup final, it's really an honor,” said the Trinidad and Tobago native, who has been a pivotal figure for Cavalier throughout the competition.
“I think this title would mean everything, honestly. I know that last year we came close to winning it, so this year, [we] just want to go one step further and bring it home,” he added.
The two clubs were evenly matched in the opening leg in Kingston, Jamaica, where Cavalier claimed a narrow 1-0 victory. Shaquille Stein’s decisive strike extended his tournament-leading tally to eight goals, setting the stage for a tantalizing conclusion at Cibao FC Stadium.
Auvray has played an instrumental role in Cavalier’s road to the final, notably contributing in the semifinals with a multi-goal performance alongside Stein. His creativity and attacking instincts will be critical as Cavalier aim to protect their slender advantage and secure the club’s first Concacaf Caribbean Cup title.
Despite the first-leg setback, Cibao FC remains confident in its ability to overturn the deficit in front of its passionate home crowd.
The Dominican club had been unbeaten in the competition until the loss in Kingston and will look to its leading scorer, Rivaldo Correa, to inspire a comeback.
Correa, who has netted five goals in the tournament, led Cibao’s charge in the first leg with seven shots on goal. His determination to deliver for the home fans was evident in his pre-match comments.
“We are going to give our all. The team's spirit is that we are very focused, that we are going to turn it around, that we are going to do things in the best way. We are going to be very concentrated to turn this match around and take us to the championship.”
With the aggregate winner set to be crowned 2024 champions, every moment of the second leg promises to be high-stakes.
Should Cibao win 1-0, the match would proceed to extra time and potentially penalties to determine the victor. Away goals serve as the first tiebreaker, adding another layer of intrigue to the contest.
For Auvray and Cavalier, this is a chance to solidify the club’s place among the Caribbean elite and bring a sense of pride to their supporters.
“This is about going one step further. We’re ready to give it everything we’ve got,” Auvray emphasized.
Real Mallorca 1-5 Barcelona: In-form Raphinha nets two as leaders run riot
Barcelona captain Raphinha scored twice as they won in LaLiga for the first time in a month, crushing Real Mallorca 5-1 at the Estadi Son Moix.
Hansi Flick's league leaders – who were without a victory in three matches in the competition – netted four times in a dominant second-half performance as they extended their advantage over Real Madrid to four points.
A comical mix-up between Martin Valjent and Johan Majica allowed Ferran Torres to give Barca a 12th-minute lead, though the hosts levelled when Vedat Muriqi tapped home to cap a lightning counterattack on the stroke of half-time.
However, that equaliser only served to anger Barca and they pulled clear after the interval.
Raphinha restored their lead from the penalty spot in the 56th minute after the excellent Lamine Yamal was fouled, with the teenager then curling in a wonderful 74th-minute cross to tee up his captain's second goal.
Substitutes Frenkie de Jong and Pau Victor added to the goalfest with late strikes from inside the box to wrap up an easy win for the Blaugrana, who have played two games more than second-placed Madrid.
Data Debrief: Raphinha into double figures as Barca cruise
In Robert Lewandowski (15) and Raphinha (10), Barcelona are the only team to have two players in double figures for goals in one of Europe's top five leagues this season.
Things could hardly have been more comfortable for the Blaugrana, who created a huge total of 4.93 expected goals (xG), the highest figure by any team in a single match in LaLiga this campaign.
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