EURO 2016 TEAM PREVIEW: GROUP B - SLOVAKIA

Tip: Early exit

Cult hero: Liverpool fans know all about centre-back Martin Skrtel. Often mistaken for someone looking for a rumble outside every stadium he plays in, he throws himself about on the pitch to occasional comical effect. When he’s fully focused, though, he provides much needed steel to the Czech defence.

Star player: He has a barnet that looks like he’s seen a ghost in the stadium tunnel and he also possesses a unique talent that has lit up Serie A for a decade. Step forward, Marek Hamsik. The Napoli playmaker is key to everything that Slovakia do, so expect opposition midfielders to put in early reducers to try and quieten him down. Hard to believe he is still only 28 years of age.

Player to watch: Hamsik is monumental for Slovakia, so much so that it is easy to forget that there are younger players coming through who could one day help shoulder the burden of his loss. Attacking midfielder Ondrej Duda is one such player, who could blossom if given licence to roam albeit off the bench most likely in this tournament. Inter Milan have long been admirers of the fancy 21-year-old.

How they qualified: Nerves set in during the back end of their qualifying campaign after a phenomenal start that included victory over group winners Spain. Thankfully they hoovered up enough points against Ukraine and Belarus to edge through by three points on the back of Hamsik’s five goals.

Line-up prediction: Kozacik, Pekarik, Durica, Skrtel, Hubocan, Weiss, Kucka, Pecovsky, Mak, Hamsik, Duris