Our prediction for this Euro 2024 match:
Greece and Gibraltar face each other at OPEP Arena in a David-vs-Goliath EURO 2024 qualifier. Greece aim to recover from a heavy 3-0 loss to Netherlands and they will not have a better chance than this to get back on course in Group B. Defender Konstantinos Mavropanos remains on the sidelines with injury, while both Kourbelis and Siopis are banned for the match.
The minnows, on the other hand, do not seem to be competitive at this level, with the team losing each of their four group games. Since the visitors are low on confidence ahead of the trip to Athens, anything but a routine home win would be a big surprise. There are no suspended players in the visiting team. When the two teams met in Gibraltar earlier in the process Greece emerged triumphant (3-0) and we predict that history is going to repeat itself.
Highlighted Player (Kostas Fortounis):
Born in Trikala Greece on 16 October, 1992, Kostas Fortounis made his senior debut for his hometown club Trikala in the 2009/2010 Gamma Ethniki campaign. After playing 13 games for the club he moved to Asteras Tripolis at the end of the season.
In 2011 the Greek midfielder moved to Germany, signing a deal with Kaiserslautern. Fortounis made 70 league appearances for Kaiser, scoring two goals from 2011 to 2014. On 22 July, 2014 he returned to Greece, signing a four-year contract with Olympiacos. It has to be noted that he played for the Thrylos during his youth career (2003-2008).
Kostas Fortounis made his Greece debut against Belgium in February, 2012 and he represented his homeland at the 2012 European Championship finals. However, he was left out of the Greece 2014 FIFA World Cup squad. His main position is attacking midfielder, but he is capable of playing as a winger as well. Fortounis won two Greek Superleague titles (2014/2015, 2015/2016) with Olympiakos.
Highlighted Team (Gibraltar):
Gibraltar played their first unofficial match against Jersey in the 1993 Island Games. The Gibraltarians suffered a 2-1 loss to Jersey, but they did well to hold Slovakia to a goalless draw in their first official international match. Gibraltar participated in the 2016 World Cup qualifiers and they were drawn in Group D alongside Germany, Poland, Georgia, Republic of Ireland and Scotland.
They failed to impress on their debut in the World Cup qualifiers and it has to be noted that the minnows suffered a loss in each of their ten group games (goal difference 2:56). Gibraltar recorded their first ever win against Malta on April 6, 2014 and that is considered the team’s biggest success.
Danny Higginbotham, who played for the likes of Manchester United, Southampton, Sunderland, Stoke City and Sheffield United during his professional career, has three caps for Gibraltar national football team and he is considered the greatest player who whore Gibraltar shirt. The Gibraltarians play their home games at Estadio Algarve, speaking of qualifying matches.