Euro 2020 Group A preview: Turkey, Italy, Wales, Switzerland - fixtures, squads, match schedule, predictions

Euro 2020 pits 24 European nations against each other over the next few weeks in a delayed festival of football.

There looks set to be plenty of competition in Group A, where Italy, Turkey, Wales and Switzerland will all be confident of qualifying for the knockout stages of the tournament.

Here is our preview for Group A...

Turkey

Euro 2020 fixtures: vs. Italy in Rome, June 11; vs. Wales in Baku, June 16; vs. Switzerland in Baku, June 20

Qualifying: Group H runner-up

Euro 2016 result: Group stage

Best result: Semifinals (2008)

FIFA ranking: 29th

Coach: Senol Gunes (Turkey)

Key player: Burak Yilmaz — The veteran forward is Turkey's second highest scorer of all time, with his 28 goals putting him behind only the now-retired Hakan Sukur. His scoring touch at club level helped Lille win the French league title this season and he also scored a hat trick against the Netherlands in a World Cup qualifier in March.

Squad

Goalkeepers: Altay Bayındır, Mert Günok, Uğurcan Çakır

Defenders: Zeki Çelik, Çağlar Söyüncü , Kaan Ayhan, Merih Demiral, Mert Müldür, Ozan Kabak, Rıdvan Yılmaz, Umut Meraş

Midfielders: Yusuf Yazıcı, Dorukhan Toköz, Ä°rfan Can Kahveci, Okay Yokuşlu, Orkun Kökçü, Ozan Tufan, Taylan Antalyalı, Hakan Çalhanoğlu

Forwards: Burak Yılmaz, Cengiz Ünder, Enes Ünal, Abdülkadir Ömür, Kerem Aktürkoğlu, Halil Ä°brahim Dervişoğlu, Kenan Karaman

Italy

Euro 2020 fixtures: vs. Turkey in Rome, June 11; vs. Switzerland in Rome, June 16; vs. Wales in Rome, June 20

Qualifying: Group J winner

Euro 2016 result: Quarterfinals

Best result: Champion (1968)

FIFA ranking: Seventh

Coach: Roberto Mancini (Italy)

Squad

Goalkeepers: Gianluigi Donnarumma, Alex Meret, Salvatore Sirigu

Defenders: Francesco Acerbi, Alessandro Bastoni, Leonardo Bonucci, Giorgio Chiellini, Giovanni Di Lorenzo, Emerson, Alessandro Florenzi, Leonardo Spinazzola, Rafael Toloi

Midfielders: Nicolo Barella, Bryan Cristante, Jorginho, Manuel Locatelli, Lorenzo Pellegrini, Stefano Sensi, Marco Verratti

Forwards: Andrea Belotti, Domenico Berardi, Federico Bernardeschi, Federico Chiesa, Ciro Immobile, Lorenzo Insigne, Giacomo Raspadori

Key player: Gianluigi Donnarumma — The 22-year-old goalkeeper will have to fill the hole left by Gianluigi Buffon, who played between the posts for Italy at every major tournament the Italians qualified for since the 2002 World Cup. Donnarumma made his Serie A debut for AC Milan at 16 in 2015 and he’s already been part of the Italy team for nearly five years.

Wales

Euro 2020 fixtures: vs. Switzerland in Baku, June 12; vs. Turkey in Baku, June 16; vs. Italy in Rome, June 20

Qualifying: Group E runner-up

Euro 2016 result: Semifinals

Best result: Semifinals (2016)

FIFA ranking: 17th

Coach: Robert Page (Wales)

Squad

Goalkeepers: Wayne Hennessey, Danny Ward, Adam Davies

Defenders: Connor Roberts, Neco Williams, Chris Gunter, Joe Rodon, Ethan Ampadu, Chris Mepham, Ben Cabango, Ben Davies, Rhys Norrington-Davies, Tom Lockyer

Midfielders: Joe Allen, Joe Morrell, Matthew Smith, Jonny Williams, Aaron Ramsey, Dylan Levitt, Rubin Colwill, Harry Wilson

Forwards: Daniel James, David Brooks, Tyler Roberts, Gareth Bale, Kieffer Moore

Key player: Gareth Bale — The forward is the national team's leading scorer and helped Wales reach the semifinals at Euro 2016. He spent the past season on loan at Tottenham, where he regained his scoring touch — especially after the departure of Jose Mourinho — and at least got some game time in his legs after being often overlooked at Real Madrid in recent seasons. With Carlo Ancelotti taking over at Madrid, Bale could end up back in favor in Spain for the start of next season, particularly if he plays well at Euro 2020.

Switzerland

Euro 2020 fixtures: vs. Wales in Baku, June 12; vs. Italy in Rome, June 16; vs. Turkey in Baku, June 20

Qualifying: Group D winner

Euro 2016 result: Round of 16

Best result: Round of 16 (2016)

FIFA ranking: 13th

Coach: Vladimir Petkovic (Switzerland and Bosnia-Herzegovina)

Squad

Goalkeepers: Yann Sommer, Jonas Omlin, Yvon Mvogo

Defenders: Fabian Schar, Ricardo Rodriguez, Manuel Akanji, Nico Elvedi, Jordan Lotomba, Becir Omeragic, Silvan Widmer, Loris Benito, Kevin Mbabu, Eray Comert

Midfielders: Granit Xhaka, Xherdan Shaqiri, Steven Zuber, Denis Zakaria, Remo Freuler, Edimilson Fernandes, Djibril Sow

Forwards: Haris Seferovic, Admir Mehmedi, Breel Embolo, Mario Gavranovic, Ruben Vargas, Christian Fassnacht

Key player: Granit Xhaka — The Arsenal midfielder makes the Swiss team tick and is prized by national team coach Vladimir Petkovic. Xhaka forms part of a solid core of an experienced Swiss team who are each approaching 100 appearances while still in their 20s.

Predictions

1st: Italy

2nd: Turkey

3rd: Wales

4th: Switzerland

Additional reporting by AP.

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