Walter Finch
SPAIN are feeling confident ahead of their titanic quarter-final clash with hosts Germany at the Euro 2024 tonight.
The pair are the two teams who have impressed the most among the heavy-weights still remaining in the tournament, with many seeing the tie as a premature final.
Spain cruised through to the round of eight by dispatching Georgia 4-1 in the second round, while Germany saw off Denmark 2-0.
La Roja are impressing for the first time in a major tournament since their all-conquering team of 2008 – 2012, which won an unprecedented back-to-back Euros – with a World Cup thrown in in between.
Meanwhile, Germany look to be back to something close to the best after a fallow few years which have seen them fail to get past the second round of a tournament since 2014.
But their record against Spain will not fill them with confidence – the last time they defeated their southern neighbours in a tournament was at Euro 1988, 36 years ago.
In fact, Spain have bested Germany wherever they have encountered them in recent times, with victories in the 2010 World Cup semi-final and the Euro 2008 final.
However, overall, Germany just have a slight edge over Spain in their head to head record, with nine victories to eight, and eight draws.
Even the bookies can’t decide — they have Spain at 7/4 favourites but Germany are available at 8/5.
The clash is scheduled to take place at the Schalke Arena in the industrial city of Gelsenkirchen which has proven to be unpopular with the travelling fans.
“It will definitely be a match of equals,” said Germany skipper Ilkay Gündogan, who plays in Spain for Barcelona.
“The two sides are probably playing the best football in the tournament at the moment. It will come down to who deals better with not having the ball at times and not panicking.”
Kick-off is 6pm CET, and if that is not enough another clash of the titans follows at 9pm when Kylian Mbappe’s France take on Cristiano Ronaldo’s Portugal.
