Football Tips: Our sublime 7/1 Saturday Euro 2020 double featuring Wales and Italy

Our tipster Shane O'Brien supplies his slick 7/1 double for Saturday's Euro 2020 last 16 clashes.

*All prices are bang up to date with our snazzy widgets, while odds in copy are accurate at time of publishing but subject to change

5pm: Wales vs Denmark – Denmark Win & Under 2.5 Goals

It’s hard to look past Denmark on Saturday following their thrilling 4-1 victory over Russia on Monday. The Danes are riding a crest of wave after that hugely emotional night in Copenhagen where the crowd seemed to literally suck Andreas Christensen’s rasping drive into the back of the net.

Of course, they would probably never have been in that position and would have beaten Finland on the opening day in normal circumstances. However, the Danish response since that harrowing night in Copenhagen has been hugely impressive.

They took the fight to a heavily fancied Belgian outfit and were only undone by two moments of brilliance from Kevin De Bruyne, while they blew Russia away at the Parken on Monday. With a quarter-final date with one of the Czech Republic or a strong but untested Netherlands outfit on the horizon for the winner of this tie, Denmark boast a realistic chance of making a run to the semi-finals of the European Championships – something that seemed impossible at around 6pm on June 12.

Saturday 5pm: Wales v Denmark
BBC One and BBC iPlayer

A decent Wales side stands in their way at the Amsterdam Arena on Saturday afternoon. Wales are not the same team that they were in 2016, but they will also be eyeing up that favourable route to the last four and will hope to repeat the heroics of five years ago.

Having said that, Wales are definite underdogs on Saturday following a largely underwhelming group stage. They were fortunate to come away with a point from their opening game against Switzerland before they beat a hugely underwhelming Turkey outfit in their second outing.

Most recently, they clung on for a 1-0 defeat against a much-changed Italian side to ensure a second-place finish ahead of the Swiss, who had the misfortune of coming up against a full-strength Italian side. Their journey could come to an end on Saturday in what should be a cagey game, despite the fact that Denmark have conceded in each of their three games at the Euros so far.

Only two of Wales’s last 15 competitive games have seen more than two goals (in a defeat to Belgium and a win over 10-man Finland), while six of their last 11 have seen one goal or fewer. Saturday’s game is unlikely to be a goal-fest and I can see Denmark winning with Under 2.5 Goals in the game.

RobertoManciniItalyJun21

8pm: Italy v Austria – Italy to win both halves

Austria inadvertently shot themselves in the foot by beating Ukraine in their final game of Group C. Not only did they plunge themselves into a tie with one of the form teams in the tournament, but they also missed out on a far more winnable round-of-16 tie against Sweden.

Their chances of progressing now look decidedly bleak against a rampant Italian side that has not lost in 30 games. Italy’s transformation under Roberto Mancini has been nothing short of incredible.

From failure to qualify for the 2018 World Cup to winning 11 games in a row without conceding a goal, Italy now look the real deal and are one of the frontrunners to lift the Henri Delauney Trophy on July 11. Austria, on the other hand, are almost certainly about to meet their end at Wembley on Saturday.

Saturday 8pm: Italy v Austria
BBC One and BBC iPlayer

The Austrians toiled in their opening two group games against a plucky North Macedonia and an impressive Holland before improving significantly in a deserved win against Ukraine. However, it is hard to see them breaking down an impregnable Italian side that has rarely looked like conceding a goal since the beginning of the tournament.

The Italians have won four of the six halves they have played at Euro 2020 and have utterly dominated in each 45-minute spell at the tournament. Austria, meanwhile, lost both halves against the Netherlands in their only game against an opponent of a similar ability to this formidable Italian side.

Mancini’s side should set up a mouth-watering quarter-final against Belgium or Portugal with the minimum of fuss. Expect Italy to Win both halves here.

Our Saturday Euro 2020 double

Saturday 5pm: Wales vs Denmark- Denmark Win & under 2.5 goals
Saturday 8pm: Italy v Austria – Italy to win both halves

These two selections in a double will give you odds of around 7/1 with Paddy Power.

*All prices are bang up to date with our snazzy widgets, while odds in copy are accurate at time of publishing but subject to change

WALES v DENMARK TIPS

ITALY v AUSTRIA TIPS

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