Belgium have confirmed full-back Thomas Meunier will not travel to Germany with the team on Wednesday, throwing his participation at Euro 2024 into doubt.
Meunier has won 66 senior caps for Belgium, representing his country at the last four major tournaments since missing out on their squad for the 2014 World Cup.
He scored in a 2-0 group-stage win over England at the 2018 World Cup, also netting in a 3-0 victory over Russia at Euro 2020.
The 32-year-old – who swapped Borussia Dortmund for Trabzonspor in February – was not involved as Domenico Tedesco's team beat Luxembourg 3-0 in a friendly on Saturday, having suffered a muscle injury.
In an update issued on social media on Sunday, the Royal Belgian Football Association said: "Thomas Meunier provisionally won't travel to Germany on Wednesday because of a muscle injury.
"There will be more tests in the next couple of days. Get well soon, Thomas."
Belgium open their Group E campaign against Slovakia on June 17 before facing Romania and Ukraine.
Germany v Denmark: Fullkrug confident of Euro 2024 success
Niclas Fullkrug believes Germany have already shown they are capable of winning Euro 2024 ahead of their last-16 tie with Denmark on Saturday.
Julian Nagelsmann's side concluded their Group A campaign with a draw against Switzerland, with Borussia Dortmund forward Fullkrug striking late on to secure top spot.
Germany thumped Scotland 5-1 in the opening game of the tournament before beating Hungary 2-0 in Stuttgart.
And Fullkrug is confident the hosts have demonstrated title-winning levels.
"If you want to become European champions you have to beat the really good [teams]," Fullkrug said.
"I think we've already shown what we are capable of in this tournament."
Germany head coach Nagelsmann was able to sit back and watch the action for the remainder of the week but was in no mood for sympathy for having extra days to prepare for their knockout stage fixture compared to Denmark.
"We have two more days to prepare, maybe the opponent is not that happy about that," Nagelsmann said.
"But one of those four only has to prepare for one team, we have to prepare for four, so it's kind of fair. May the best team win on Saturday."
Preparations for Denmark begin #DFB #GermanFootball #GermanMNT #EURO2024
DFB/ Philipp Reinhard pic.twitter.com/nzMO7piEEj
Denmark have only won three of their last 15 matches at major tournaments, drawing seven and losing five.
They are winless in their last seven such games (D4 L3), drawing all three of their games in Group C.
Kasper Hjulmand has a plan for how Denmark can derail the host's dreams of claiming a fourth European crown.
"We have to close down the central space, at the same time as we have to play football," Hjulmand said.
"Germany are one of the hardest-pressing teams at the Euros, they win the ball back very quickly, so it's important that we can play the ball around in there."
And Yussuf Poulsen thinks Denmark can take confidence from Switzerland's display against Germany.
"We are a very good team, we defend very well and have good attackers who can hurt the Germans, I am sure," Poulsen said.
"We have played against each other before and it was an even game. Of course, we also saw how Switzerland did it and we see ourselves as a similar team to Switzerland."
PLAYERS TO WATCH
Germany – Niclas Fullkrug
Although he may not start the game in Dortmund, Nagelsmann has a dangerous weapon in his armoury in the shape of Fullkrug.
Fullkrug has scored four goals in six major tournament appearances for Germany, with all those coming as a substitute.
Among all European players to play at least 100 minutes at the World Cup and Euros combined, only Ernst Wilimowski (one every 30 mins) has a better minutes per goal ratio than Fullkrug (one every 35 mins).
Denmark – Christian Eriksen
Eriksen has often been the diamond in the crown of Denmark's midfield, but this could be the midfielder's most influential tournament to date.
In the group stage, he was directly involved in 23 of Denmark's 42 shots, attempting 10 and teeing up a further 13.
He is the first Denmark player to register both 10+ shots and 10+ chances created at a single edition of a major tournament. If the Danes are to upset the odds, Eriksen will likely be crucial.
MATCH PREDICTION: GERMANY WIN
This encounter will be the fifth meeting between Germany and Denmark at a major tournament.
Germany will take comfort from Denmark's record against the host nation of a European Championship, with the Danes losing all five of their previous meetings, including against the Germans themselves in the 1988 group stage.
However, Germany's record at this stage of the Euros has not been impressive of late. Having reached the knockout stage for a fifth consecutive time, Die Mannschaft's last two such matches have both ended in 2-0 defeats, to France at Euro 2016 and England at Euro 2020.
OPTA WIN PROBABILITY
Germany - 57.9%
Draw - 23.3%
Denmark - 18.8%
New York Red Bulls v DC United: Schwarz impressed with mentality in absence of key players
Sandro Schwarz has praised the New York Red Bulls' mentality and character as they prepare to welcome DC United to the Red Bull Arena this Sunday.
The Red Bulls maintained their three-match unbeaten run with an impressive 3-0 win over Toronto FC last weekend.
Schwarz's side sit third in the Eastern Conference, five points behind FC Cincinnati, having played a game more than Pat Noonan's side.
The New York side are without several of their star players due to international duty, but Schwarz was impressed with how his side rose to the occasion in their latest MLS fixture.
"It's great character from the whole team, it's great mentality," Schwarz said.
"We have seen since the first game and every training session that they are working very seriously and we need all the players, especially in this long season.
"It's good to see that everyone is making these steps and this is necesarry for us, not only to look for two or three players.
"We have to grow up as a team and it's good to see. We have missed important players for sure, but it's good to see as a group we are able to get points and it gives us a lot of confidence."
Meanwhile, DC United suffered a crushing defeat on home turf last time out, losing 4-1 to Houston Dynamo as Christian Benteke and Matai Akinmboni saw red and will miss the trip to New York.
Troy Lesesne's side are without a win in their last eight MLS fixtures, a run which has seen his team ship 20 goals in that time.
DC are currently one point ahead of bottom side Chicago Fire in the Western Conference table, level on points CF Montreal and New England Revolution, and know a victory is a must to get back to winning ways.
PLAYERS TO WATCH
NYRB – Elias Manoel
Elias Manoel’s 29th-minute opener for the Red Bulls on Saturday was the eighth goal scored from outside the box this season for the club, second most in MLS (Sporting Kansas City – 10).
Manoel (2) is the only Red Bulls player with multiple goals from outside the box this season.
DC United – Mateusz Klich
In the absence of top scorer Benteke, only two players have scored more than once this season, one of them being Mateusz Klich.
The experienced midfielder last found the back of the net against Toronto earlier this month, and his side will be hoping he can rediscover his goal-scoring touch this weekend.
MATCH PREDICTION: NYRB WIN
The Red Bulls have won their last four meetings against DC United, including a 4-1 away win on May 15. It’s their longest-ever winning streak against their opponents in all competitions and the longest in the rivalry since D.C. won five in a row in 2004.
Schwarz’s side continued their impressive home form, extending their unbeaten run to 12 games (W8 D4) in all competitions in their triumph over Toronto on Saturday.
DC, however, are enduring their longest winless run since a nine-match span between September and October 2020. The Eagles have failed to win in their last eight matches (D2 L6).
OPTA WIN PROBABILITY –
NYRB – 61.3%
Draw – 20.4%
DC United – 18.3%
FC Dallas v FC Cincinnati: No time to feel sorry for ourselves, says Noonan
FC Cincinnati head coach Pat Noonan insists his side cannot feel sorry for themselves as they look to keep pace at the top of the Eastern Conference table.
The Orange and Blues were beaten 2-1 by New England Revolution last time out, not helped by the sending off Obinna Nwobodo three minutes after Yamil Asad had halved the deficit for the home side.
Cincinnati travel to FC Dallas this Sunday, and Noonan expects his players to give their supporters a much-improved display to ensure they remain within touching distance of league leaders Inter Miami.
"We didn't give (the fans) much to cheer about in the first 45 (minutes)," Noonan said. "But it starts with me. I don't think that was a version of our group that we should have seen tonight, so I can't blame those guys for anything.
“I don't think in the first half we were able to take the space in an efficient way to then open up different ways of breaking pressure because it was too predictable.
"But we can't feel sorry for ourselves, we have to keep going."
Meanwhile, Dallas suffered their first defeat in three matches at the hands the Seattle Sounders at Lumen Field last time out.
Peter Luccin’s side had taken a two-goal lead heading into the final 20 minutes of the game, but a late turnaround from the home side saw them score three times in the final 12 minutes of the game to secure the triumph on a disappointing night for the Toros.
The result leaves them in 11th place in the Western Conference heading into the encounter, but they will be hopeful of kickstarting another unbeaten run to close the gap to the play-off places.
PLAYERS TO WATCH
Dallas – Luciano Acosta
Acosta’s influence in the Dallas side as his assist took his tally to 15 for the season, the third time he has reach this number in the MLS (17 in 2018, 19 in 2022).
The Argentine became just the fifth player in MLS history to have three or more seasons with at least 15 assists, and he shows no sign of stopping.
Cincinnati – Peter Musa
The Croatian scored his ninth goal of the season for FC Dallas last Saturday and is on the cusp of achieving a record that has stood since 2017.
Should he find the back of the net against Dallas, Musa will become the first FC Dallas player to represent a country other than the United States with a 10-goal season since Maximiliano Urruti (Argentina) and Roland Lamah (Belgium).
MATCH PREDICTION: CINCINNATI WIN
This will be just the second meeting between the two sides, with Cincinnati out to avenge their defeat to Dallas in their first encounter back in August 2019.
Noonan’s side have won five straight away matches for the first time in club history. There have only been two longer road winning streaks in MLS in the post-shootout era (since 2000): CF Montreal (7 straight) in 2022 and San Jose (6 straight) in 2005.
However, the Toros are unbeaten in their last seven home matches (W5 D2) in all competitions, including winning their last two in a row. They have suffered just two defeats in their last 21 home matches in all competitions dating back to the beginning of last year’s Leagues Cup (W10 D9).
OPTA WIN PROBABILITY
Dallas – 32%
Draw – 25.4%
Cincinnati – 42.6%
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