Ryan Giggs has likened tonight’s Nations League game against Denmark to a cup final and urged his players to get the win that would put Wales within 180 minutes of qualifying for Euro 2020 and enable them to be “among the big boys” in Group A when this tournament starts again in two years’ time.
With six points from three Nations League matches, Wales know that victory would put them in an unassailable position in their group, giving them a welcome insurance policy when it comes to trying to reach the next European Championship finals. Should Wales fail to qualify for Euro 2020 through the traditional format, they would go into a two-leg play-off for a finals place by virtue of the fact they topped their Nations League group.
With promotion to Group A – which comes with the prospect of fixtures against some of Europe’s strongest nations – also at stake in Cardiff, Giggs spoke about an international match in November in a way that would have been unthinkable in the past unless it was a crucial qualifier for a major tournament.
The Welsh public also seem to have bought into the sense of occasion, with a sellout crowd of around 33,000 expected. “There’s lots of incentives to top the group,” the Wales manager said. 
“First of all to win a really competitive group would be great, and then you get a second bite of the cherry with regards to qualifying for the Euros if you don’t qualify automatically – and it has an effect on the seedings come the Euro [2020] draw as well.
“And I think for everyone – coaching staff, the players, the fans – to know you’re going into Group A and that the next time the Nations League comes around you’re going to be among the big boys, it would great, because you want to play and test yourself against the best.”
Wales know, however, they will have their work cut out against Denmark, who host the Republic of Ireland in their final Nations League game on Monday. Although the news that Gareth Bale is fully fit has given Giggs and his players a boost, Denmark have a formidable record. They have lost only twice in 23 matches, on penalties against Croatia at the World Cup and, farcically, against Slovakia in September when a dispute between the Danish football association and its players over commercial rights meant they were forced to field a salesman and a student in a makeshift XI.

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