TEAM NEWS

Republic of Ireland boss Martin O’Neill is optimistic Robbie Keane and James McCarthy will be available despite respective calf and hamstring injuries.

The pair will be monitored, as will Stoke’s Jonathan Walters, who returned to full training on Saturday following an Achilles problem.

Sweden’s Albin Ekdal has recovered after suffering a deep cut to his back during a fall at a nightclub in May.

However, the midfielder may lack match fitness and is unlikely to start.

O’Neill has a decision to make over who partners John O’Shea in central defence with Shane Duffy’s set-piece prowess in the opposition penalty area possibly earning him the nod over Ciaran Clark.

Darren Randolph has been first-choice goalkeeper in recent matches but Keiren Westwood and veteran Shay Given are also in contention in a close battle for the number one jersey.

MATCH PREVIEW

Zlatan Ibrahimovic’s four-year stay in French football saw him break records galore before departing on the back of a career-best 50 goals in his final season at Paris St-Germain. Now the Sweden captain has the chance to write a glorious post-script in the French capital, where on Monday he can become the first man to score at four different European Championship finals.

But Sweden’s opponents, the Republic of Ireland, will be determined to provide an alternative storyline at the Stade de France – scene of their controversial game against the French in 2009, when Thierry Henry’s handball helped end their hopes of reaching the 2010 World Cup.

Fans often sing “you’ll never beat the Irish” but that’s not been the case at European Championship finals, with the Republic of Ireland’s four-game losing streak at the tournament the longest of any team at Euro 2016. But the win over world champions Germany in qualifying last year will give Martin O’Neill’s men hope they can progress from a tough group.

MATCH FACTS

Head-to-head

• The Republic of Ireland have won three of 10 matches against Sweden, losing five of those games.
• They are winless in six competitive encounters with the Swedes (D2, L4), although none of those games were at major tournaments.
• The teams met in qualifying for the 2014 World Cup. They drew 0-0 in Solna before Sweden won 2-1 in Dublin.
• Sweden have failed to score in three of their last four games against the Republic of Ireland.

Republic of Ireland

• The Republic of Ireland have lost their last four games at European Championship finals – the longest losing streak of any side at Euro 2016.
• They won their first European Championship game, beating England in their Euro 88 opener, but are winless in their subsequent five games (D1, L4).
• They have failed to score in three of their last four matches at European Championship finals – and have never netted more than once in a game at the tournament.
• They have the oldest squad at Euro 2016 – with an average age of over 29.

Sweden

• The Swedes have only won three of their last 14 games at the European Championship (D4, L7).
• Zlatan Ibrahimovic has failed to score in three previous games against the Republic of Ireland.
• If Ibrahimovic scores he will become the first player to net at four different European Championships.
• He has scored six times in 10 finals games – and needs three more goals to equal Michel Platini’s tournament record.
• Sweden conceded 12 times in qualifying – the Czech Republic (14 goals) are the only Euro 2016 finalist with a worse record.