Liverpool at Euro 2016

With 12 players at Euro 2016, Liverpool are the best represented club in Europe. Not all will be starting, but still, it’s an impressive feat for a side whose strength and depth many were questioning following an eighth-place finish in the league last season.

It’s a feat not matched by the likes of Barcelona, Bayern Munich, Real Madrid, Arsenal, or Manchester United. The only other club with 12 players at the Euros will be Juventus, with Tottenham next up with 11 called on. United have 10, Barcelona and Bayern have nine, and Arsenal and Madrid have eight.

It makes for a lot to keep track of—even with Dejan Lovren and Mamadou Sakho left out and with five of Liverpool’s representatives called up by one nation, England—and so we’re here to help, with a run-down of who and when so that you can help plan out your next month of football.

Nathaniel Clyne, Jordan Henderson, Adam Lallana, James Milner, and Daniel Sturridge have all been called up by Roy Hodgson to play for an England side that dominated qualification. The Three Lions have the best goal differential heading into the Euros, and in theory at least are one of the favourites.

As is so often the case with England, then, the question will be how they manage to turn being favourites into being disappointments. Will it be shoehorning a tired Wayne Rooney into the starting eleven? Giving Jack Wilshire more minutes at the Euros than he got in the league with Arsenal?

Staid play; square pegs in round holes; individual errors from a lack of fluidity and incoherent approach. Anything seems possible when it comes to England, as long as anything is bad. Regardless, it should be Nathaniel Clyne starting at right back along with two of Adam Lallana, James Milner, and Jordan Henderson in midfield.

Daniel Sturridge and at least one of those midfielders—perhaps two, depending on the answers to the Rooney and Wilshere questions—will have to make do with a bench role.

Liverpool’s Representatives: Nathaniel Clyne, Jordan Henderson, Adam Lallana, James Milner, Daniel Sturridge

Fixtures (Group B):

England vs. Russia - Saturday, June 11 - 8PM BST/3PM EST
England vs. Wales - Thursday, June 16 - 2PM BST/9AM EST
Slovakia vs. England - Monday, June 20 - 8PM BST/3PM EST

After England, Liverpool are sending the largest number of players to represent another favourite, Belgium, with Christian Benteke, Simon Mignolet, and Divock Origi called up. Mignolet, at least, will be certain to start on the bench—he may also, with the arrival of Loris Karius, not be a Liverpool player for much longer.

After a strong second half domestically, Origi is more likely to see significant action than Benteke, who has fallen to third on the Belgian depth chart behind his Liverpool teammate and Everton’s Romelu Lukaku. Belgium, meanwhile, have a tough group with both Italy and Sweden likely to push them for first.

Liverpool’s Representatives: Christian Benteke, Simon Mignolet, Divock Origi

Fixtures (Group E):

Belgium vs. Italy - Monday, June 13th - 8PM BST/3PM EST
Belgium vs. Ireland - Saturday, June 18 - 2PM BST/9AM EST
Sweden vs. Belgium - Wednesday, June 22 - 8PM BST/3PM EST

Germany’s fullback situation is so dire that not only has Emre Can been brought along as a fullback after a season at the club level where he proved he was very much not that, but there’s a chance he could see significant minutes as he appears to be first choice to fill in on both sides of the pitch.

Still, the Germans will rightly be seen as solid favourites in Group C, with Ukraine and Poland expected to fight it out for second and a guaranteed spot in the knockout rounds, and Northern Ireland mostly along to make up the numbers and perhaps to spoil somebody’s Euros.

Liverpool’s Representatives: Emre Can

Fixtures (Group C):

Germany vs. Ukraine - Sunday, June 12 - 8PM BST/3PM EST
Germany vs. Poland - Thursday, June 16 - 8PM BST/3PM EST
Northern Ireland vs. Germany - Tuesday, June 21 - 5PM BST/12PM EST

Wales are usually on the outside looking in when it comes to major tournaments, but there are high hopes that with the expanded format this year at the Euros, they could make a little noise. It doesn’t hurt, either, that with Russia’s stumbles they’re actually rated third-best in Group B behind England and Slovakia.

Not many are picking the Welsh to advance, but with the third-place finishers from four of the six groups going on to the knockout rounds, they have a real shot. And they’ll be counting on Joe Allen to run their midfield, with the Liverpool player key to their hopes of advancing. Danny Ward, meanwhile, is there to back up Wayne Hennessey.

Liverpool’s Representatives: Joe Allen, Danny Ward

Fixtures (Group B):

Wales vs. Slovakia - Saturday, June 11 - 5PM BST/12PM EST
England vs. Wales - Thursday, June 16 - 2PM BST/9AM EST
Russia vs. Wales - Monday, June 20 - 8PM BST/3PM EST

Liverpool’s Group B interest is rounded out by Slovakia, who will be captained by Martin Skrtel. Skrtel may have struggled at the club level this season, and he could be on his way to Turkey next season, but before then he will captain his country at the Euros with a second place group finish the expectation.

Slovakia impressed in qualifying, beating out Ukraine to finish a strong second to Spain in their qualification group. They were also the only side to beat the Spanish in Euro 2016's pre-tournament play-in.

Liverpool’s Representatives: Martin Skrtel

Fixtures (Group B):

Wales vs. Slovakia - Saturday, June 11 - 5PM BST/12PM EST
Russia vs. Slovakia - Wednesday, June 15 - 2PM BST/9AM EST
Slovakia vs. England - Monday, June 20 - 8PM BST/3PM EST