DUESSELDORF, Germany (AP) — Spain doesn't know who it plays next at Euro 2024.
Croatia thinks it's out but doesn't know for sure.
The tournament format means days of waiting for some teams, rushed work for their analysts, and a headache for fans trying to grasp where their team will play next.
The issue is because the European Championship has six groups, but only four of the third-place teams with the best records qualify for the round of 16. That means if you're due to face a third-place team — like Spain is after winning Group B — you won't know who you have next until all of the groups have played.
“We might have to stay awake all night in order to study our rival when we find out who it is," Spain coach Luis de la Fuente said in translated comments after Albania was beaten 1-0 on Monday.
"We need to wait until Wednesday probably, a couple of days, until we know who we’re playing with. In any case, we’ll be mentally prepared to go all out and try to get to the next stage.”
De la Fuente said his staff had prepared research on potential opponents, but there were many of them.
Depending on how the remaining eight group-stage games unfold, Spain's potential opponents range from an underperforming heavyweight like Belgium to Austria, Ukraine or newcomer Georgia. It could even potentially run into the Netherlands or France — hardly the reward a group winner might expect.
Croatia coach Zlatko Dalic indicated he thinks his team is out of the tournament. Still, it may not be official for two more days. Conceding a goal deep into added time in its 1-1 draw with Italy dropped Croatia from second to third in the group.
With just two points from three games and a poor goal difference, Croatia needs a series of other results in Groups C, D, and F to go its way just to stay in the competition. Also waiting is Hungary, which placed third in Group A thanks to its 1-0 win over Scotland on Sunday and is in line to qualify, but doesn't yet know for sure.
AP sports writer Ciaran Fahey in Leipzig contributed.
AP Euro 2024: https://apnews.com/hub/euro-2024
Spain's head coach Luis de la Fuente holds the ball during a Group B match between Albania and Spain at the Euro 2024 soccer tournament in Dusseldorf, Germany, Monday, June 24, 2024. Spain won 1-0. (AP Photo/Manu Fernandez)
Spain's head coach Luis de la Fuente enters the pitch ahead of a Group B match between Albania and Spain at the Euro 2024 soccer tournament in Dusseldorf, Germany, Monday, June 24, 2024. (AP Photo/Manu Fernandez)
Spain's head coach Luis de la Fuente gestures during a Group B match between Albania and Spain at the Euro 2024 soccer tournament in Dusseldorf, Germany, Monday, June 24, 2024. (AP Photo/Manu Fernandez)
NEW YORK (AP) — The Celtics' 3-point touch came back in Game 3, so the Knicks didn't.
Jayson Tatum had 22 points, nine rebounds and seven assists, Payton Pritchard scored 23 points and Boston easily got its first win in the Eastern Conference semifinals by routing New York 115-93 on Saturday.
The Celtics went 20 for 40 from 3-point range after going just 25 for 100 in their two losses in Boston, when they blew 20-point leads in the second half of both games. The defending NBA champions went ahead by 31 in this one and there was never anything resembling a comeback for the Knicks.
“You've got to beat us four times. That’s what it comes down to. Not twice, not once, not three,” Celtics forward Jaylen Brown said. “You’ve got to win four games, so there’s a lot of basketball to be played.”
Tatum, an All-Star who shot just 12 for 42 overall in Boston, and Pritchard, the NBA Sixth Man of the Year, both made five 3s.
Brown scored 19 points and Derrick White had 17 for the Celtics, who will try to tie the series Monday night in Game 4 before returning to Boston for Game 5 on Wednesday.
Jalen Brunson scored 27 points and Karl-Anthony Towns had 21 points and 15 rebounds for the Knicks, who blew a 2-0 lead in this round last year and are still seeking their first conference finals appearance since 2000.
“I don’t think we came with the mindset of being satisfied, but I think it was just subconsciously satisfied being up 2-0," Brunson said. “Just not the way we need to approach the game.”
Boston made more 3-pointers than any team in NBA history during the regular season, when it swept all four meetings against New York. But the Celtics were ice cold to open this series, starting with an NBA playoff-record 45 misses in Game 1.
They made their first four 3-point shots in a blistering start Saturday and never really slowed down. They finished 6 for 7 behind the arc en route to a 36-20 lead, their highest-scoring first quarter of the postseason, quickly taking the energy out of a crowd where some fans paid more than $600 per ticket to be in the arena with the celebrities for one of the biggest games the Knicks have played in the 2000s.
“Just a matter of time,” Tatum said.
Tatum and Pritchard hit consecutive 3s for a 55-33 lead with 4 1/2 minutes remaining in the half, and Boston took a 71-46 lead to the locker room.
New York was 5 for 25 behind the arc and shot 68.6% on free throws — though that was mostly because Mitchell Robinson went 4 for 12 as the Celtics fouled the poor free throw shooter intentionally.
AP NBA: https://apnews.com/nba
Boston Celtics' Jaylen Brown, left, knocks over New York Knicks' Josh Hart, right, during the first half of Game 3 of an NBA basketball second-round playoff series, Saturday, May 10, 2025, in New York. (AP Photo/Pamela Smith)
New York Knicks' Cameron Payne, left, and Boston Celtics' Jaylen Brown, right, battle for the ball during the first half of Game 3 of an NBA basketball second-round playoff series, Saturday, May 10, 2025, in New York. (AP Photo/Pamela Smith)
New York Knicks' Jalen Brunson, center, drives to the basket between Boston Celtics' Derrick White, left, and Jayson Tatum, right, during the first half of Game 3 of an NBA basketball second-round playoff series, Saturday, May 10, 2025, in New York. (AP Photo/Pamela Smith)
New York Knicks' Cameron Payne, right, shoots over Boston Celtics' Luke Kornet, center, during the first half of Game 3 of an NBA basketball second-round playoff series, Saturday, May 10, 2025, in New York. (AP Photo/Pamela Smith)
Boston Celtics' Jayson Tatum reacts after shooting a 3-point basket during the first half of Game 3 of an NBA basketball second-round playoff series against the New York Knicks, Saturday, May 10, 2025, in New York. (AP Photo/Pamela Smith)
