[Nicky91]

preview for today

Belgium - Iceland 18:00 (17:00 UK Time) Manchester

Tessa Wullaert, Belgium forward: "Tomorrow will be a game that will be decided by details. We know that Iceland are very strong in one-on-ones and that we will have to be aware of them from set pieces, but the most important thing is that we stay calm and focused from the first minute."

Ives Serneels, Belgium coach: "This match is not decisive for me. Remember our first game against Denmark in 2017: we lost that and ended up staying in the race until the end. Iceland are a tough team and a team that are always a united unit on the field. There are players with special qualities, but they are also the players that we have to be able to handle. I'm afraid we'll have to be patient."


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Sara Björk Gunnarsdóttir, Iceland midfielder, on their preparations: "The squad is calm. We have a lot of experienced players and the balance in the team is good. We have been able to control the excitement level really well."

Thorsteinn Halldórsson, Iceland coach, on what they need to do tomorrow: "We need to be aggressive and play a tight game. This will be an even match, Belgium has similar qualities to us but we believe we are better and we need to show that."

More from Halldórsson, on the other games ahead in the group: "You can only play one game at a time, that‘s a fact even though it is a boring phrase. We don't think about anything else than the game tomorrow. Hopefully that will result in a good, solid performance."

More from Gunnarsdóttir, who played her first 90 minutes in a friendly against Poland last week since giving birth in November: "I felt pretty good. The first 75 minutes were solid, and then you got a bit tired which is understandable. But the most important things is that I had a good and quick recovery, which says a lot for the future."


Hallbera Gísladóttir and Berglind Thorvaldsdóttir are the stars in iceland tabloid Fréttablaðið this morning, describing their excitement for the first game: "We know it will be tough, but we also know that we have a team that can get some points."

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France - Italy 21:00 (20:00 UK Time) Rotherham

Sara Gama, Italy captain, speaking to UEFA.com: "The anthem is special for us, and it's the climax right before the start of the game."
"We're excited, we've worked hard. We have the right amount of pressure."

''We want to have fun, which means also to be focused, but to enjoy ourselves. If we enjoy these special moments we can do even better."

"Since the 2019 World Cup we have improved; now this is a different competition, we need to do even better, and give our all."

"We want to get started, and show on the pitch what we have prepared so far. We have a smile on our faces."
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Milena Bertolini, Italy coach, speaking to UEFA.com: "We can't wait to get started, we have trained a lot and cannot wait to start this competition, which is magnificent."

"We are taking it game after game, so for now we are focused on France. But we know that to progress we'll need to beat the others too. Our aim is to progress from the group."

"To face a strong team like France, we need to go beyond our physical and technical qualities, and to do so we need to be united, and be tactically on point, in Italian fashion."

Valentina Cernoia is out of the squad to face France, the Italian FA have announced.

"We will be without Cernoia, but we have other players who can replace her, and we need every single player."

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Wendie Renard, France captain, speaking about the base camp in Ashby de la Zouch: "The French Football Federation has made efforts to put us in the best condition. We don't have a network, it's a shame (laughs) but we have wifi. But the most important thing is the game tomorrow."

"I'm very happy to be in a new competition.It's a pride to represent your country and you have to earn it, with or without the armband."

"The first match launches you into the competition. Tomorrow we have to let go and show our qualities. We know what to expect, it is a European championship. We will do everything tomorrow to put ourselves in the best position for the rest of the competition."

"Tomorrow's game is important. It will give us confidence for the rest. The first three games are like a mini championship. We will first concentrate on Italy, then on Belgium and then on Iceland."

Corinne Diacre, France coach: "Everyone is doing well in their mental and physical aspects."

"Now we start another competition. We must reset the counters to zero. We take the three teams at the same level. It's up to us to stay focused, to listen to our bodies and not take any risks in the last training session.I hope for an open game. I think it's going to be a close game."


Plenty of these posters – Women's EURO is on!

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