Germany vs Spain offers a sumptuous match-up of European football royalty when they face each other in the Stuttgart Arena in the quarterfinal on Friday. With the two best teams in the tournament meeting as early as the last eight stages, the team that wins this contest will be considered the favourite to lift the European Championship.
Both teams are undefeated so far with Germany topping the goal charts with 10, while Spain has nine. While Germany has shown struggles on its path to the quarterfinal, Spain has looked near-imperious, especially with its record-breaking win over Georgia in the last round.
But Spain will know that Germany will offer a stronger threat than the 74 th-ranked Georgia.
Quick transitions key for Germany
Both teams have rapid attacking forwards, who could have a bearing on the game. Both teams will look to exploit the wings to break free from the cluster in the middle.
Control, both in and out of possession, is key to Spain’s philosophy and it is important for oppositions to disrupt Spain’s shape. Clever use of the ball and pace in transition will be crucial to cause chaos in Spain’s defensive structure.
Georgia with its limited attacking riches troubled Spain’s highline. For Georgia’s opening goal, it turned defence into attack and had the ball in the net in a matter of 15 seconds with just four passes. In this instance, Georgia beat Spain’s press on the left, which allowed Georges Mikautadze to find runners (Otar Kakabadze) on the right side to progress the ball and played a threatening cross into the box, which was turned in by Spain defender Robin le Normand into his own net.
Georgia beating Spain’s press to release its attackers on the right. | Photo Credit: Screengrab: SonyLiv
Georgia’s Chakvetadze and Kakabadze are in a two vs one situation on the right side. | Photo Credit: Screengrab: SonyLiv
Georgia had a few more opportunities on the counter, but it lacked the quality to make the most of it and put Spain under sustained pressure. Instead, it crumbled against Spain’s press and its repeated wave of attacks to lose 4-1.
Germany, though, has plenty of pace and one-on-one attackers in its ranks to pose its own problems to Spain. Jamal Musiala and Florian Wirtz or Leroy Sane are among the most devastating attackers in the competition, and Germany will want to find them with the ball as early as possible. Musiala has attempted the third most number of dribbles in the competition with 29, while Sane is behind him in the German team with 15. Musiala showcased his direct attacking instinct in Germany’s second goal in the win over Denmark in the Round of 16, when he ran onto a long ball over the defence before slotting in a clinical finish.
Germany’s biggest threat comes from the flanks via its fullbacks. In its matches so far, Joshua Kimmich and David Raum or Maximilian Mittelstadt’s average recorded position have been in the opposition half, making the German fullbacks among the most advanced in the competition in these roles. They are the team’s widest attackers since both Musiala and Wirtz occupy central areas.
But it won’t be easy for the German fullbacks to push high up the pitch against Spain’s whirlwind wingers, Nico Williams Jr. and Lamine Yamal. Williams and Yamal attempt 8.85 and 8.97 dribbles per 90 minutes and will be hoping to pin Germany’s fullbacks in their own half. And inversely, Germany’s fullbacks will have their task cut out in holding their own against Spain’s tricky wingers
Crosses – the king
Germany and Spain rely on plenty of crosses from attacking areas into the box. Germany plays in 22 crosses per game, while Spain averages 20.5 crosses per game. But crucially, Spain utilises its wingers more than Germany.
Spain’s two wingers Williams Jr. and Yamal have been electric down the flanks. The duo has recorded 15 and 16 crosses so far, while Germany counts on its fullbacks to push high up the pitch to set up its attackers with crosses and cutbacks. Most of Germany’s crosses have come from Kimmich (16), Mittelstadt (20) and Raum (6). The trio have recorded an assist each in the tournament so far.
Havertz for Germany and Alvaro Morata for Spain will be the likely starting no. 9s, who will be tasked with stretching the opposition’s defences with their selfless running and creating space for other attackers to occupy. They also have good aerial presence which will make them the target of the crosses from the flanks. Germany and Spain both have potent striking options to call upon from the bench in the form of Niclas Fullkrug and Joselu, who add a more direct approach. Fullkrug has scored in his previous meeting against Spain in the Qatar World Cup and the striker has already netted two goals while coming off the bench in the ongoing Euros.
Battle for control
Both teams have the competition’s elite passmasters in Kroos and Rodrigo Hernandez. Kroos and Rodri have recorded an average of 122 and 103 touches per game, highlighting their importance to their respective sides. Their calmness and mastery in midfield help direct the tempo in possession.
But Spain will likely have the upper hand in the centre of the park with its midfield troika of Rodri, Pedri and Fabian Ruiz. Spain’s midfield possesses a good blend of attack and defense, providing control in possession and how it utilises the ball. Pedri and Ruiz will link up with Rodri in circulating the possession before they link up with Williams, Yamal and Morata to find them in spaces behind tight defences.
Pedri and Ruiz’s occupying of space on either flank also helps open up the space for Spain’s winger and fullback on the other side to come in to play with the switch of the ball from Rodri.
In the 79 th minute against Georgia, Spain patiently moved the ball from left to right repeatedly for over 20 passes, which set up Yamal for a chance. The overload on the left and central areas has drawn the attention of nine Georgian outfielders, leaving Yamal and Carvajal in a 2v1 situation with Luka Lochoshvilli.
Spain’s passing move frees up space for Yamal on the right side to attack. | Photo Credit: Screengrab: SonyLiv
Yamal receives the ball from Rodri and gets a give-and-go with Dani Olmo before getting his shot away, which was saved.
Yamal receives the ball and attacks the space in front of him on the right side. | Photo Credit: Screengrab: SonyLiv
Whoever wants to win what is being dubbed as the ‘final before the final’ will have to ace the midfield duel and not allow the likes of Kroos for Germany and Rodri, Ruiz and Pedri to stamp their authority on the game.
Comments
SHARE