England's U21 squad faces Slovenia in their second match of the European Under-21 Championship today, June 15th, at the Stadion pod Zoborom in Nitra, Slovakia. The game kicks off at 5 pm BST. The Young Lions are aiming to build on their strong start to the tournament after securing a 3-1 victory against Czechia in their opening match. Slovenia, however, will be looking to bounce back from a 3-0 defeat to Germany.

England enters the match with confidence, having shown their attacking prowess in the first game. Harvey Elliott, Jonathan Rowe, and Charlie Cresswell were the goalscorers against Czechia, and Lee Carsley's side dominated possession throughout the match. Tino Livramento, the Newcastle United defender, is expected to continue playing a key role in the backline. The team, however, will be without Jobe Bellingham and Liam Delap, who are expected to participate in the Club World Cup. Despite these omissions, the squad is packed with attacking talent, and Carsley may consider rotating his forward line, potentially giving opportunities to players like Arsenal's Ethan Nwaneri.

Slovenia, managed by Andrej Razdrh, will be aiming to cause an upset after a disappointing start to their campaign. Following the loss to Germany, where Nick Woltemade scored a hat-trick, Razdrh acknowledged the need for improvement. He stated that they have analyzed what went wrong and are working to fix those issues. Slovenia's captain, Martin Turk, remains optimistic, pointing out that Slovenia has a draw and a win in their last two meetings with England. He emphasized the team's belief in their chances, stating that they will leave their hearts on the pitch.

Key players for Slovenia include attacking midfielder Svit Seslar and striker Tio Cipot, who was their top scorer in the qualifying rounds with six goals. Dino Kojic is also expected to play a crucial role in controlling the midfield.

Historically, the head-to-head record between the two teams is relatively balanced. In their 2023 qualifying campaign, Slovenia and England drew 2-2 in Celje. In their last meeting in Huddersfield, Slovenia won 2-1, although England had already qualified.

For England, a win against Slovenia would almost guarantee them a place in the knockout stages. However, Carsley is wary of underestimating their opponents, acknowledging them as a well-organized team. Slovenia, on the other hand, is in a precarious position and needs a positive result to keep their hopes of progressing in the tournament alive.