Euro 2024: Turkey aims to bounce back from Euro flop against debutants Georgia
The Hindu
Turkey faces Georgia in Euro 2024 opener, aiming for redemption after disappointing Euro 2020 performance.
Turkey begin their Euro 2024 campaign against newcomers Georgia on June 18 knowing a winning start in one of the tournament's weaker groups would give them a great chance of making the knockout stages after disappointing last time around.
Tipped as dark horses going into Euro 2020, Turkey crashed out having lost all three group-stage games but they impressed in qualifying for Germany as they topped a group including 2022 World Cup finalists Croatia.
Their more recent form has been mixed: since beating Germany 3-2 in Berlin in November, Turkey have not won in five games and were hammered 6-1 by Austria in a friendly in March before holding reigning champions Italy to a draw this month.
Turkey's ambitions of progressing from a group also containing Euro 2016 winners Portugal and Czech Republic rest in large part on captain and midfielder Hakan Calhanoglu, a key part of Inter Milan's Serie A-winning side.
Hopes are also high for attacking midfielder Arda Guler after the 19-year-old came back from injury to score five goals in five games at the end of Real Madrid's victorious La Liga campaign.
Georgia, meanwhile, are playing in their first ever major tournament and are the clear underdogs in Group F. Their slim prospects of qualifying for the last 16 will rest largely on the shoulders of talisman Khvicha Kvaratskhelia.
With Valencia goalkeeper Giorgi Mamardashvili reportedly a target for several top European clubs and forward Georges Mikautadze impressing on loan at Metz last season, Georgia have talent at both ends of the pitch.
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