National anthems done and away we go. The Young Lions get the semi-final started.

Image source, Reuters

Stephen Warnock
Former England defender on BBC Radio 5 Live Sports Extra at the Stadion Tehelne pole

We know there is a capability and a potential to play at the highest level for most of this England team. We saw it in drips and drabs [throughout the tournament] and now it's about being more brave going forward.

It's 33C in Bratislava today. Tough conditions.

Nick Mashiter
BBC Sport football news reporter in Bratislava

Under-21 boss Lee Carsley believes England have lost the fear factor in penalty shoot-outs.

The defending champions face the Netherlands in Wednesday's Euro 2025 semi-final in Bratislava after Saturday's 3-1 win over Spain.

It is a repeat of the 2007 semi-final when the Young Lions lost a dramatic penalty shootout to the hosts 13-12.

Under former boss Gareth Southgate, the senior squad won their first penalty shootout for 22 years when they beat Colombia at the 2018 World Cup and also beat Switzerland in a shootout at Euro 2024.

That success came from planning and practice and Carsley believes it has helped his men going into the tournament in Slovakia.

"It's definitely something Gareth really pushed which filtered down the pathway, which is so important," he said.

"The amount of resource that would have been thrown at the senior team to be the best at penalty shootouts and have that awareness of how important they are has definitely trickled down and we've got the benefit of that.

"We speak a lot about a routine, almost like a golf swing where you would address the ball and take your time, think about your shot, the breathing.

"I've taken penalties for a club - it's fine - but taking a penalty in a penalty shootout is a totally different mentality because of the walk [from the halfway line]. You have that much time to think about what you're going to do, if you change your mind and making sure that you're clear and focused."

Image source, Reuters

The second semi-final is between Germany and France and that one kicks off at 20:00 BST with the final in Bratislava on Saturday (20:00 BST).

Both matches today have to be completed on the day, so that means extra-time if it's level at 90 minutes and then maybe penalties after that.

England

England boss Lee Carsley, speaking to Channel 4: "It is a semi-final and about dealing with the occasion.

"We've spoken a lot about the mentality, making sure the Spain performance isn't the best performance of the competition. We have set the lads a lot of challenges which I'm sure they're looking forward to meeting."

On Elliot Anderson's return to the starting team: "That's one of the biggest challenges in the tournament with the amount of recovery time you get in between games - making sure all the players are able to play and keeping them at their maximum.

"He [Elliot Anderson] is so important to us, and we're lucky to have him."

Nick Mashiter
BBC Sport football news reporter at the National Football Stadium

Image source, Getty Images

Boss Lee Carsley feels England's age groups are changing the perception of home-grown players.

The Young Lions' win two years ago came after the Under-17s won the European Championships in 2014 with the Under-19s following suit in 2017 and 2022. There have also been World Cup wins for the U17s and U20s, both in 2017.

It has left Carsley confident England's players and pathway are becoming the envy of others.

"We are definitely changing that perception of English players," he said. "You want foreign journalists to speak about our players the way we speak about theirs, in terms of their technical ability and way they can take the ball.

"They [the players] are different to the last set [who won Euro 2023] and the skill of a coach is getting the best of other players you have in front of you, not trying to make them something they are not.

"We have put them into position where they can be really effective. You want to coach a team where you enjoy watching them. In the Spain game and second half of the Germany game you are on the side enjoying watching the players."

BBC Radio 5 Live Sports Extra

You can listen live to all the action with commentary on BBC Radio 5 Sports Extra by pressing the listen live tab at the top of this page.

Nick Mashiter
BBC Sport football news reporter at the National Football Stadium

Image source, Getty Images

Just Charlie Cresswell and Harvey Elliott remain from England Under-21s' triumph of two years ago.

Injury robbed boss Lee Carsley of the experience of Taylor Harwood-Bellis and Jarod Branthwaite, two other winners, but it is new territory for the majority of the squad.

Teddy Sharman-Lowe, Ronnie Edwards, Brooke Norton-Cuffy, Jarell Quansah, Samuel Iling-Junior and Alex Scott all won Under-19 Euros in Slovakia three years ago.

But it is a different level of exposure in the country this time after Saturday's quarter-final win over Spain.

Carsley said: "This isn't the same team, a lot of these players are experiencing this type of attention for the first time. They get it at their clubs but with internationals it's a different level.

"We're there to support the players and they know we're trying to remove as much pressure from them as possible. There's an expectation in the group to do well in these tournaments.

"There's a lot of difference between what we went through two years ago and today – just based on the amount of players.

"It's never the same but there's got to be a confidence we have been here before, we're comfortable. We don't feel like we're ready to go home just yet."

Image source, Getty Images

The Netherlands last lifted the European Under-21 Championship trophy in 2007 with ex-Liverpool forward Ryan Babel scoring in the final against Serbia.

Similar to England, the Netherlands also finished the group stage with four points and the same goal difference, +1.

Michael Reiziger's under-21 squad drew their opening game 2-2 against Finland, and lost their second group match 2-1 against Denmark.

The Netherlands managed to beat Ukraine 2-0, which sealed their place in the quarter-finals.

Although the Netherlands dispatched Portugal 1-0 in the quarter-finals, they will go into tonight's game without Ruben van Bommel, who was sent off after 21 minutes in the previous round.

Image source, Getty Images

England's journey to the knockout stages was sealed with a second-place finish in Group B behind Germany.

In the group stage, the Three Lions beat the Czech Republic 3-1, drew 0-0 against Slovenia and lost 2-1 in their final group game against Germany, who last won the under-21 Euros in 2021.

England's opening knockout game in the quarter-finals was against Spain, who they beat 1-0 in the under-21 2023 Euros final.

Spain were unable to come back from an early 2-0 deficit and Lee Carsley's men moved into the semi-finals thanks to a 3-1 win.

England's under-21 boss, Lee Carsley, believes "there's still a lot more to come from the team".

Nick Mashiter
BBC Sport football news reporter at the National Football Stadium

Midfielder Elliot Anderson returns in the expected change for England Under-21s.

The Nottingham Forest star replaces the suspended Tyler Morton in the only change from Saturday's 3-1 quarter-final win over Spain.

Birmingham's Jay Stansfield again leads the line after an all action performance against Spain.

England Under-21s XI: Beadle, Livramento, Cresswell, Quansah, Hinshelwood, Scott, Anderson, Hutchinson, McAtee, Elliott, Stansfield.

Subs: Edwards, Hackney, Fellows, Rowe, Norton-Cuffey, Gray, Egon-Riley, Iling-Junior, Nwaneri, Simkin, Sharman-Lowe.

Netherlands boss Michael Reiziger is without banned captain Roma defender Devyne Rensch, Ajax midfielder Kenneth Taylor and Ruben van Bommel, son of ex-Bayern Munich midfielder Mark.

In come Neraysho Kasanwirjo, Antoni Milambo and Ernest Poku.

Middlesbrough's Rav van den Berg and Aston Villa's Ian Maatsen start in defence.

Netherlands Under-21s XI: Roefs, Kasanwirjo, van Den Berg, Hato, Maatsen, Flamingo, Valente, Milambo, Manhoef, Van Bergen, Poku.

Subs: Regeer, Ohio, Salah-Eddine, Goes, Meijer, Banzuzi, van Brederode, Raatsie, Van den Heuvel.

Hello and welcome along to BBC Sport's coverage of the European Under-21 Championship semi-final as England take on the Netherlands.

Kick-off is at 17:00 BST and there will be full live radio commentary in this very page.

First up, the teams are in so let's have a look to see who Lee Carsley and Michael Reiziger have selected.

Two years ago, England, for only the third time ever, won the European Under-21 Championship.

Lee Carsley's side are only two victories away from retaining their trophy. Next up is a tricky-looking semi-final against the Netherlands.

Image source, Getty Images