Switzerland vs Italy Bet Builder Tips: Ndoye to be very busy again

We have reached the knockout stage of Euro 2024 and the first round of 16 clash sees Switzerland take on Italy at the iconic Olympiastadion in Berlin on Saturday (17:00, BBC One). The Swiss have looked the more impressive of the two on their route through the group stage, while defending champions have not looked at their best, but perhaps we will see them improve at this stage of the tournament.

Below I have put together my Switzerland vs Italy bet builder tips, which combined, pays out at the enticing price of 6/1.

Switzerland vs Italy Odds

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Switzerland to win in 90 minutes

I have been very impressed with Switzerland so far at this tournament. They got off to a winning start in convincing style against Hungary before drawing against both Scotland and Germany.

Had it not been for a late Niclas Fullkrug equaliser for Die Mannschaft, the Swiss would've topped Group A. I'm sure they will be happy with this draw because Italy are not the same team that won this competition three years ago.

Their own last-gasp equaliser to draw with Croatia in their final Group B game saw them progress to the round of 16 in second spot, but the Azzurri have not looked like defending champions so far.

This is why I can see Switzerland coming out on top in this one in regulation time. Murat Yakin's side are well-drilled, are defensively structured and have no issues creating chances.

Yakin's men are more than up for the task of taking on Italy and I do see them moving on to the quarter finals.

Euro 2024 Odds

Under 2.5 goals in 90 minutes

That being said, I do not see this being a high-scoring game. Switzerland's last two matches have seen less than three goals, and the same goes for Italy. The Swiss' win over Hungary saw four goals scored and there were three in Italy's triumph over Albania.

The Azzurri have always been known for being compact and they do make it difficult for teams to attack them. This does feel like it could be played like a chess match as two strong defences are lining up against one another.

Attacking players on both sides are going to have a tough task of breaking down the defensive lines, so it does seem like this is where the game will be won and lost.

Alessandro Bastoni and Remo Freuler 1+ fouls

There is also sure to be an interesting battle in the middle of the park in this game, and one that I can see being quite intense because both sides have plenty of combative midfielders.

It could get quite cagey in parts, so I expect that we might see quite a few fouls in this contest. I like to pick out player stats for bet builders because it adds a layer of excitement to the game.

For this one, I have selected Italy's Alessandro Bastoni and Switzerland's Remo Freuler to commit at least one foul each. Both have been mainstays for their respective sides at Euro 2024 so far, playing in all three group matches, and the pair have both been in the thick of the action.

Bastoni has already committed three fouls at the tournament so far and interestingly, he is yet to receive a yellow card. This makes him a sensible contender for this market because it means that he is likely to continue with his clumsy challenges until he goes into the book.

Swiss man Freuler has been penalised seven times already and he has been booked once. He will need to careful here as the yellow card slate isn't wiped clean until the quarter-finals. If he is calculated, he will probably get away with one foul here, but then after that, he will be walking a dangerous tightrope.

It may be a tough ask but Freuler plays with a lot of aggression so I think he is a smart selection to commit a foul.

Dan Ndoye 2+ shots

Swiss attacker Dan Ndoye has been very lively at the Euros so far. He has one goal to his name, which came in the form of a deft finish against Germany last time out, and it felt as though it had been coming.

Ndoye has been playing well at the tournament and has already registered nine attempts at goal, but with just two of them hitting the target. Now that he has opened his account, I expect we might see more composure from him in the final third.

I think he can be a difference-maker in this match but I'm still not confident in backing him to hit the target frequently in this clash. Therefore, I have gone for him to register two shots, which is what I think is a more sensible way to go given how many attempts he has had thus far.

Betfred are running their famed Double Delight & Hat-trick Heaven Pre-Match offer on this match, meaning that if a player scores first and then nets again, you will be paid at double the odds. If he grabs a hat-trick, you will be paid at treble the odds!

GOAL FEVER - Place a Match Result single bet (Pre-Match), and if your team wins by 3 or more goals in selected matches, we’ll pay a 25% cash bonus on top of your winnings!

You can read all our latest Euro 2024 Betting Tips at our dedicated Betfred Insights content hub.