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England begin their preparations for Euro 2024 this evening, with Bosnia and Herzegovina their opponents in a first warm-up friendly encounter, with another to come against Iceland on Friday.
After that it’s onto the tournament itself with Gareth Southgate’s side facing Serbia, Denmark and Slovenia in the group stage – though before that, the manager must cut his squad from 33 down to 26, making Monday night’s match a crucial one for a handful of hopefuls who still have something to prove before the final group is confirmed for Germany.
Matters are further complicated by a handful of players not being available this time around, with Luke Shaw still injured, John Stones joining the squad late and Jude Bellingham winning the Champions League final on Saturday night. That means opportunity knocks for others, though, and they must quickly impress Southgate to make the plane. Follow all the latest buildup and match action between England and Bosnia below:
Is England vs Bosnia on TV tonight?
Gareth Southgate’s England side will face Bosnia and Herzegovina in the first of two warm-up friendlies ahead of the start of Euro 2024.
The Three Lions travel to Newcastle on 3 June for the first step in their preparations ahead of the summer tournament, which begins in Germany on 14 June.
This game will likely help to decide who occupies those final spots on the plane to Germany, but some England stalwarts will be injured for the game, with players such as Jude Bellingham and Bukayo Saka unavailable, the former having won the Champions League just 48 hours beforehand.
So expect plenty of changes, with the England manager experimenting with different players as he tries to trim his squad, and certain players trying to grab their last chance at a spot on the plane.
Here’s everything you need to know ahead of the game.
Five talking points ahead of England vs Bosnia and Herzegovina
England ramp up their Euro 2024 preparations with a friendly against Bosnia and Herzegovina on Monday evening.
Ahead of the clash at St James’ Park, we have a look at five of the main talking points, including which debutants might feature, a mix of defensive options and which forward leads the line in what is sure to be an audition to be Harry Kane’s understudy.
England vs Bosnia and Herzegovina LIVE
Good afternoon and welcome to The Independent’s live coverage of England’s first warm-up match ahead of Euro 2024.
With just two matches to play and seven players to be cut from the preliminary squad, Gareth Southgate still has a lot to sort out just 11 days before the tournament starts in Germany.
The Three Lions play Bosnia and Herzegovina tonight, before facing Iceland on Friday…and naming their final 26-man squad on Saturday 8 June. Stay tuned for all the latest buildup and news.
Source: independent.co.uk
