Euro 2016: Guide to Group A

On the day of the start of the European Championship’s in France, let’s take a look at how each team will shape up. There will be a brief guide to each time and how their prospects look heading into the Euros. Each group will be posted in separate articles.

This year there is a big change from the usual format of the competition. For the first time in the tournaments history there will be twenty four teams competing, with the four best placed third place teams qualifying for the knockout rounds.

What happens if two teams end up with the same record?

UEFA's rule for Euro 2016 states: ‘If two teams which have the same number of points, the same number of goals scored and conceded play their last group match against each other and are still equal at the end of that match, the ranking of the two teams in question is determined by kicks from the penalty mark, provided no other teams within the group have the same number of points on completion of all group matches.’

Furthermore, if teams who did not meet in the final group game finish level on points, goals scored and goals conceded, fair play conduct (which is 1 point for a single yellow card, 3 points for a red card as a consequence of two yellow cards, 3 points for a direct red card, 4 points for a yellow card followed by a direct red card) will decide.

Group A: Albania, France, Romania and Switzerland

Albania                                                            

This is quite simply the best Albanian team there has ever been. They will be competing in their first tournament in the nation’s history, which is a fantastic feat for such a small country. Albania magnificently finished above Denmark and Serbia in their qualification group.

Gianni De Biasi has a solid defence at his disposal; his team only conceded 5 goals during qualifying, in a group that included European giants, Portugal. Their main weakness is their lack of goals, as they are without a recognised potent goal-scorer in their side. Sokol Çikalleshi is almost certain to start as a lone-striker, he is extremely hard-working and loves to run in behind and occupy defences; his importance to this team is underrated. Right-back turned defensive midfielder Andi Lila is the man employed to protect the defence in a team which prioritizes limiting their opponent’s opportunities.

How will they do?

Albania is unlikely to pull up any trees, just being there is a bonus in itself. They could be a stern test for opponents Switzerland and Romania, but France will simply be too much for this team. It’s hard to see the tournament debutants picking up any points; however, they did cause Portugal problems in qualifying so you never know.

Star man – Lorik Cana

If you are thinking you recognise that name from somewhere, you have reason to do so; Cana was the captain of Sunderland back in 2009. In the past he played in central midfield, but now operates in the heart of the defence. The Kosovo-born defender is the captain of his country; he is also their record appearance holder with 91 caps. If Albania is to have any success then their leader will be at forefront of it.

France

The hosts have been registered as tournament favourites by the bookies. Although France hasn’t played a competitive game since the World Cup in 2014, they have been in highly impressive form of late, having won nine out of their last ten outings. There are nine different faces from the squad that went to the World Cup two years ago. This is down to the sharp emergence in young players, most notably in the form of Kingsley Coman and Anthony Martial.

Defence is a problematic area. The loss of centre-back Raphaël Varane is massive and means that Laurent Koscielny has to step up. Accompanying him in the back four is two ageing full-backs in Bacary Sagna (33) and Patrice Evra (35).

Dimitri Payet has become a key player for Les Bleus, following a fantastic first season in the Premier League. The majestic attacking midfielder has an abundance of skill and is deadly from set-pieces. Paul Pogba is another crucial player; the midfielder is strong on the ball and provides a perfect balance between defence and attack. This is his chance to set the footballing world alight and show what he is really capable of.

How will they do?

A major hindrance for France throughout the last few tournaments has been a lack of unity between the squad and its staff. But that issue seems to have been resolved over the last couple of years, with the removal of the big egos. The squad now seems to be settled, and with the talent they possess, there is no reason why they can’t go all the way.

Star man – Antoinne Griezmann

The Atletico Madrid man has had the best season of his career so far. Griezmann scored goals at will in La Liga, and almost single handedly guided his club to Champions League glory. The winger/ second striker is very quick and agile on the ball, which will cause opposing defenders numerous problems. Should France progress deep into the tournament, Griezmann would be a good bet for the golden boot.

Romania

This is a hard-working, organised Romanian side. Their strong, physical approach to the game is one of the main reasons as to why they only conceded twice during their 10 qualifying matches - no team boasts a better record. That being said, they did manage just 11 goals, which could be a problem in their tricky group. Romania remained unbeaten in qualifying.

Promising young attacking midfielder Nicolae Stanciu could have a big impact on the fortunes of his side. This Romanian outfit likes to break quickly and Stanciu is a huge part of that. At the other end they have defensive stalwart, Razvan Rat; the left-back has amassed 110 caps in his international career, his experience will be pivotal on and off the field.

How will they do?

The Romanians will be hard to break down and will likely be dangerous on the counter-attack. Coming into the tournament on the back of a superb qualifying campaign, they should be challenging Switzerland all the way for that second spot. If they do progress through, they could frustrate some of the big-hitters, but will have little else to offer.

Star man - Vlad Chiricheș

The former Tottenham Hotspur centre-half is the rock of this Romanian defence. His time in London may not have worked out so well, but he was outstanding during qualification; he was one of only two players to play every single minute for his side. Chiricheș could have a key part to play in the group stage, with his no-nonsense defending and his speed across the ground.

Switzerland

The Swiss have been slightly indifferent since their splendid run to the quarter-finals of the World Cup. They qualified second in their Euros qualifying group, but barely put up a fight against group winners, England. However, they did go on to win seven out of their other eight games. But, Vladimir Petkovic’s men head into the tournament on the back of two friendly defeats, which doesn’t exactly bode well.

They have opted to only take three strikers, which may suggest that they’re focussing more on defence than they are attack. Switzerland depends on being strong in midfield and keeping clean sheets. Players such as Valon Behrami and Granit Xhaka are going to have a crucial role for this team; it’s likely they will be employed to protect the defence. Xhaka has recently joined Arsenal, so he will have extra motivation to impress. Left-back Ricardo Rodriguez is a dead-ball specialist; his delivery could provide an excellent platform for this team to score goals.

How will they do?

The Swiss are not going to score many goals in this tournament, but what they’re going to do is frustrate teams. They should have just about enough to get them through the group stage, either in second place or as a best third placed team. Beyond that, it’s unlikely they will go very far.

Star man – Xherdan Shaqiri

The winger has been a very important player for the national team over the last few years. He has had an up and down club career, but his international form has never been under question. Shaqiri’s attacking flair and eye for goal has made him the heartbeat of the Swiss attack; could he be the man to guide them out of the group stage.