July 5 – In a tale of heavyweights, namesake wingers, and undoubted high-octane football, Spain will be the favourites in their quarter-final against Germany, but home manager Julian Nagelsmann believes that his side has enough to claim possession and win the match.
Whichever side wins, whichever young winger whizzes his way past markers, whoever gets that decisive goal, Germany – Spain is not just the blockbuster clash of the last eight, but also a final avant la lettre.
Indeed, both on current and historic form, this match arrives somewhat too soon in the tournament and there is a lot at stake for both sides: Germany last won a major finals in 2014, Spain in 2012. They spent the best of the last decade in the wilderness, slumping from one disappointing defeat to another, but at Euro 2024 they have emerged as the two main favourites, perhaps because of a lack of competition elsewhere.
“We have a lot of quality ourselves and many approaches to fight a team who likes ball possession,” said Germany manager Nagelsmann at a news conference. “We have variants. Spain will have difficulties to adapt as well. It is also our approach to have the ball.”
“Spain try to press very high. When they lose the ball, but also when they have the ball they try to get the ball as high as possible. They are good in transition now when they win the ball as well.
“It’s not so much tiki-taka anymore. It’s how they create more chances, more than in the past, but they also take risks and we can find solutions in these situations in a football way — and I think we will do that tomorrow.”
Spain have been deeply impressive, swathing aside both Croatia and Spain in the group stages, defeating Albania 1-0 with a second-string side and running out comfortable 4-1 winners in the end against Georgia in the round of 16.
Lamine Yamal, the youngest player ever to debut at a European championship, and Nico Williams have given the side a directness that was so missing during the Tiki Taka era, but they will be up against two of Germany’s best: Jamal Musiala and Florian Wirtz.
Nagelsmann wants to focus on his Jamal and Germany’s own game, but said of Yamal: “He is a big talent. He was really consistent this season, not many players are at his age, but his challenge now is to deliver that for many years.
“He has good qualities, he is very good one-on-one. You can’t always defend him, he is so variable, he goes inside and outside. His left foot is strong but he can use his right.
“We have to be prepared, but on the other hand, he does not have so much experience when things don’t go his way or opponents tackle stronger, but it’s not our plan to hit him in the socks.”
The quarter-final could also be the very last match of Toni Kroos who bid farewell to Real Madrid after winning a sixth Champions League last month and came back from national team retirement to play one last tournament on home soil.
The midfielder hasn’t put a foot wrong at Euro 2024. Against Denmark, Kroos dropped very deep, at times almost playing in between the centre backs. Will he be able to resist the Spanish press when in possession? As Joselu said, Spain will be keen to retire Kroos.
“We had thought about tying Kroos’s feet, but I don’t know if UEFA will let me…,” joked Spain manager Luis de la Fuente. “We know how Kroos spends his time. We will try to prevent him from having the chance to receive easily and limit his passing options. We will appeal to UEFA to see if ‘They let us tie him up’.
“Kroos is world class. A footballer of a brutal level. Football does not leave these players, they leave football. The confidence that he transmits is contagious, it has been very good for Germany. It is a shame that he wants to leave football because I would love to continue watching him play.”
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