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EURO 2016

FOOTBALL

Why Sweden should beat Denmark in Euro playoff

Sweden is set to take on Denmark in the first leg of the Euro 2016 qualifiers on Saturday night. Here is why the Swedish footballers should win.

Why Sweden should beat Denmark in Euro playoff
Zlatan is on fine form ahead of Saturday's clash. Photo: TT
1. Zlatan Ibrahimovic
 
Let's face it: He is old and arrogant, but he is in fine form. 
 
The Swede is fresh from winning Sweden's Golden Ball award and has scored nine goals in six league games for Paris Saint-Germain. He noted this week that his statistics appear to be improving with age.
 
“So if I'm old and getting weak and still doing what I do, imagine if I was good and young, what I would do then,” he told reporters this week. 
 
Ibrahimovic scored eight goals for Sweden during the qualifiers for Euro 2016 and has a national record of 59 goals from 109 international appearances.
   
2. History is on Sweden's side
 
In the fierce and historic rivalry that kicked off in 1913, Sweden is leading the charge after the 103 matches so far.
 
Sweden has won 45 of the games compared to 40 for Denmark. Eighteen games have finished in a draw.  
 
The video below shows how the matches have played out over time. 

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Danmark – Sverige

103 landskampe er det blevet til mod arvefjenden siden 1913.Hvordan tror du, det går på lørdag?Læs mere om kampen her: http://jyllands-posten.dk/sport/

Posted by Jyllands-Posten on Thursday, 12 November 2015

 
3. It's a home match 
 
You can never discount the home advantage, and you can guarantee a loud and mighty crowd at the Solna stadium near Stockholm on Saturday night. Swedish fans will be hungry for a good result before the return leg in Copenhagen on November 17th. 
 
The Swedish team has surely long forgotten the fact that it was in Sweden that Denmark won the Euro '92 (and only after losing to the hosts in the group stage).
 
4. Sweden on a better run
 
Even though Sweden has never scored in a home qualifying game against Denmark, they're on the back of two 2-0 victories from their closing qualifying fixtures. 
 
Denmark, meanwhile, haven't managed to score in their last three competitive games. 
 
5. New clothes
 
Lastly, Sweden has new home and away jerseys, and it's a fact universally acknowledged that you always feel better when you're wearing new clothes. 
 
Here's a look at what the team will be wearing on Saturday night, followed by a look at their new away uniforms for next week's match in Copenhagen. 
 

RACISM

VIDEO: Spain’s La Liga reviews video of boy racially abusing Vinicius

Spain's La Liga on Monday said it was reviewing a video of a child making racist insults towards Real Madrid forward Vinicius Junior during the 2-2 draw with Valencia at the weekend.

VIDEO: Spain's La Liga reviews video of boy racially abusing Vinicius

“We’re in the process of studying and analysing the facts from a legal standpoint to see what we can and should do,” La Liga sources said.

In a video published by a journalist for ESPN Brasil, and picked up by Spanish media, a boy sitting in a woman’s lap can be heard calling Vinicius a “monkey”.

https://twitter.com/GravesenFumado/status/1764242481984491822

The Brazilian scored twice for Madrid as his team recovered from two goals down at Mestalla on Saturday.

Vinicius raised his fist in a “Black Power” salute after the first of his two goals at a ground where he was racially abused last season. Valencia subsequently banned three people from the stadium for life.

The 23-year-old has become a symbol of the fight against discrimination in Spanish football after suffering racist abuse on many occasions, and he was jeered repeatedly by home supporters on Saturday.

Jude Bellingham was sent off after the final whistle against Valencia for protesting after the referee blew the final whistle right before the England midfielder headed home what he thought was the winning goal.

READ ALSO: Football star Vinicius highlights racist behaviour from Spanish fans

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