Skip to content

Three players to look out for in Monday's Euro 2016 ties

NICE, FRANCE - JUNE 17:  Alvaro Morata of Spain in action during the UEFA EURO 2016 Group D match between Spain and Turkey at Allianz Riviera Stadium on Ju
Image: Three to watch at Euro 2016 on Monday... including Alvaro Morata

With the final two knockout games on Monday in Euro 2016, we take a look at the three key players to keep an eye on.

Italy take on Spain at 5pm in Paris at the Stade de France, before England face Iceland at 8pm in Nice for a place in the last eight.

Up against England will be a familiar face for Roy Hodgson, while Italy's defensive star and Spain's hit man could be seen in the Premier League before long...

The price of Iceland's squad
The price of Iceland's squad

Iceland's entire squad cost less from their last moves than it took for City to sign Raheem Sterling

Birkir Bjarnason (Iceland)

Nicknamed Thor, Bjarnason scored in Iceland's 1-1 draw against Portugal with a composed volley, but the 28-year-old is known more for his engine than his firepower, despite scoring 10 goals for Basel last term.

What's more, Bjarnason is out to beat the man who discovered him. While managing Norwegian side Viking FK in 2005, Roy Hodgson handed a 17-year-old Bjarnason his first senior appearance, coming on for the last stages of a 2-0 defeat by CSKA Sofia in the UEFA Cup.

Birkir Bjarnason of Iceland celebrates scoring his team's first goal
Image: Birkir Bjarnason was given his senior debut by Roy Hodgson

Bjarnason played in Italy for three years before joining Basel in 2015, where he was part of the title-winning side last season.

Also See:

For Iceland, though, Bjarnason sits back, allowing star man Gylfi Sigurdsson the room the pile forward. England beware, 'Thor' will be the wall between Iceland's midfield and defence.

Alvaro Morata (Spain)

In a team brimming with attack-minded players but with a shortage of out-and-out strikers, the pressure has been on Morata to deliver.

He has so far, scoring three in three group stage games, and looking a legitimate target for Spain's pass-and-move attacking football around the opposition penalty area.

Ivan Perisic and Alvaro Morata face off
Image: Ivan Perisic and Morata face off in the last group game

The 23-year-old, who will return to Real Madrid from Juventus after the La Liga side activated his £23m buy-back clause, could be heading to England soon, with his agent Juanma Lopez telling AS: "He still has offers from top clubs in the Premier League. We'll see, we have to talk to Zinedine Zidane,"

He will have a job on his hands seeping through the Italian defence, who have conceded only one goal in six games. 

Leonardo Bonucci (Italy)

That water-tight Italian defence is spearheaded by Juventus' Bonucci, who was superb in the wins over Belgium and Sweden, and has reportedly attracted interest from both Chelsea and Manchester United.

The 29-year-old, who was on Inter Milan's books under Jose Mourinho in 2008 before moving to Bari, has been a mainstay in the Juventus defence for the past six years, and is no stranger to winning silverware with five Serie A titles and two Coppa Italias to his name.

Leonardo Bonucci and Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Euro 2016 group E football match between Italy and Sweden
Image: Leonardo Bonucci has been in fine form so far in the tournament

Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola has not been shy about his feelings for the defender, saying after Bayern Munich's meeting with Juventus in February that he is "one of my favourites".

A three-way battle for Bonucci could ensue in the summer, but for now Bonucci's only focus will be on stopping Morata, David Silva, Andres Iniesta and Co from getting in behind the Azzurri in Paris on Monday.

Around Sky