Spain vs. Czech Republic Euro 2016 Streaming Info, Schedule, Preview, Predictions as Reigning Champs Seek Third Straight Title

Created by Francisco Salazar Jun 12 2016, 05:10 AM EDT

Spain seeks out redemption when it kicks off its Euro 2016 campaign against the Czech Republic on Monday.

Spain seeks redemption

Spain has won the last two Euro tournaments in 2008 and 2012 to place themselves as one of the best teams in all of history.

However the team has come a long way off of its throne after an embarrassing 2014 World Cup which saw the champs lose the first two and end their tournament hopes in woeful manner. A third straight Euro tournament seems unlikely and yet Spain is not completely out of it entering the group phase.

The Spaniards are raring into solid form with the offense starting to click thanks to the infusion of new talent. David Silva finally has two truly dangerous outlets to count on with the emergence of Alvaro Morata and especially Nolito. The Celta Vigo star has been on fire since joining Spain this summer, scoring big goals in big moments. He has the ability to not only score a wide range of goals, but he is also a solid dribbler with the ball on his feet. This is something Spain has not had in a very long time.

The defense remains a question mark of course, as does Spain's questionable tactics with tiki taka still ruling the day. In a world that features far more direct play, Spain is slowly getting there but not quite proficient at pushing the play at a fast pace.

This could be tricky against a Czech Republic side that does push the pace forward and could catch Spain off guard on a strong counter.

Player to Watch

Which goalie starts for Spain? Iker Casillas looks like the favorite based solely on the fact that he is captain and that Vicente del Bosque is fiercely loyal to his players. Casillas was poor two summers ago in Brazil and has only looked worse and worse since.

David De Gea should be the starter but if it is Casillas the focus will be on how he performs for Spain. Will the decline continue? How long is his leash?

History favors Spain

The Spanish have never lost a single game against the Czech Republic, recording a record of three wins and one draw in four matches since 1996. The most recent matchup was a Euro qualifier in which Spain won 2-0 on the road.