The European Championship has entered the knockout stage, and England and Slovakia are the first games of the tournament to be decided by extra-time. Many fans in England are worried about Southgate's coaching ability, but also about the physical strength of the players. However, England, like Germany, have six days of rest before the next game, and it doesn't look like a difficult problem for the team to recover as soon as possible.
In many tournaments, the host is arranged in Group A, which is also the opening match. On the one hand, it can mobilize the enthusiasm of local fans and quickly enter the warm atmosphere of the event, and on the other hand, for the hosts, such a schedule is the most relaxed.
Germany's first match is scheduled for June 14 local time, and the closing match is scheduled for July 14, exactly 30 days away. If Germany can reach the final, it needs to complete 7 matches in 30 days, and according to the calculation method of "de-heading", the average interval between games is exactly 5 days.
Group F, which was the last to appear, including Portugal and others, became the toughest team, with only 26 days between the first game and the final, four days less than Germany. For a tournament with two races a week, every extra day of rest is a potential advantage.
For example, after the round of 16 and before the quarter-finals, Germany has a total of six days off, while Switzerland, also in Group A, has seven days off. If Portugal can qualify, there will be only four short days between the round of 16 and the round of eight, which may be a tough test in reality for the already older Cristiano Ronaldo.
Similarly, England, which has experienced extra time, although core players such as Kane and Bellingham seem to be physically exhausted. However, there is also a six-day adjustment period before the quarter-finals, which is enough for these excellent players, who are accustomed to the intensive schedule in Europe, to have plenty of room for physical recovery.
As a result, as the latter stages of the tournament progress, rest time becomes more and more important, and the potential advantages of the European Championship begin to emerge. The teams in the previous groups, such as Germany or England, will have a greater advantage of rest and adjustment if they successfully finish at the top of the group. In the latter groups, due to the late start time, the average game will have one less day of rest, which is also the advantage and disadvantage of grouping. Of course, the hosts are in Group A, and as long as all goes well, the schedule is the most profitable.
As the tournament draws to the end, teams don't want extra time or penalty shootouts, which not only exerts too much physical exertion, but also increases psychological pressure. Spain and Germany, to be able to win the opponent smoothly, is the best situation, like England, in fact, has the strength to solve the problem in 90 minutes, but let the team fall into a predicament, it can be described as a cocoon, to blame, to "punish" themselves.