Belgium came into Euro 2020 as the number one ranked team in the world, and although they were pushed all the way by Denmark, they have lived up to their reputation so far.
Roberto Martinez’s side started the tournament with a 3-0 victory over Russia before they managed to come back from behind to beat Denmark 2-1 on Thursday.
Their recent results mean they are 20/59 favourites for Monday’s clash, while the draw is priced at 17/4.
Finland are available at 17/2 to pick up all three points, and while they are outsiders, they already have one victory to their name after overcoming Denmark in round one.
Belgium to Maintain Winning Record
Martinez’s troops have won their last three games, while they are unbeaten in their previous 11 matches in all competitions.
England were the last team to beat Belgium in October 2020, and it is easy to see why the Red Devils are considered one of the favourites for the tournament.
Should they win on Monday, Belgium will end a poor run against Finland, with their last victory over the Finns coming in 1968. They have failed to win any of the previous seven meetings between the pair, but they should get the job done this week.
Belgium have won three of their last five games without conceding, and they can keep Finland at bay at the same time at odds of 20/23.
Classy De Bruyne to Make his Mark
Belgium were sweating over the fitness of De Bruyne a few weeks ago, and he was forced to miss their 3-0 victory over Russia due to a facial injury.
The Manchester City ace recovered in time to feature against Denmark, and he stepped off the bench and caused havoc during a 45-minute appearance.
De Bruyne teed up Thorgan Hazard before grabbing the winner with 20 minutes to go, and Martinez has already revealed the City ace will start Monday’s contest.
Focus Mode!
@BelRedDevils pic.twitter.com/4BU6IaSdMa
— Kevin De Bruyne (@DeBruyneKev) June 15, 2021
After carving his way through the Danish defence, De Bruyne can do the same again, albeit against lesser opposition. He is 21/10 to score anytime, while punters may fancy him to score two or more at 15/1.
Finland Can Keep it Tight
With Belgium already through to the knockout stages, Martinez is likely to protect his star players in Saint Petersburg on Monday night.
Although he has already confirmed the likes of De Bruyne and Eden Hazard will start, both players are unlikely to complete the full 90 minutes in Russia.
Even though Finland will be desperate to win, they cannot afford to go all out, with Belgium’s pace on the counter-attack a real worry.
Finland’s tactics will be defensive, and as a result, under 2.5 goals appeals at odds of 20/23.
None of the last five encounters between Belgium and Finland have produced more than two goals, while under 2.5 goals would have landed in all four of Finland’s previous matches.
*All odds correct at time of writing.
