Euro 2024: 2 big shocks to watch today in the Euro quarter-finals!
by Azadeh Ghavidel | by Azadeh Ghavidel
The Euro 2024 quarterfinals bring together some of the most dramatic rivalries as Portugal faces France while the tournament hosts Germany lock horns with Spain. Two-time tournament winners, France have recently struggled to record goals after finishing second in Group D behind Australia, while Spain ranks as the tournament favorites.
Both fixtures are important for the opponents as they compete for a spot in the semi-finals, with every side bolstered by the narrative of their determination and triumph so far. Here’s a preview of the Euro 2024 quarterfinal fixtures, unveiling which teams have the best chance of reaching the semi-finals.
Can Mbappe and Griezmann outrank Christiano Ronaldo to ignite their title bid?
Pre-tournament favorites France have been sluggish in their Euro 2024 campaign, failing to record a goal in open play so far. Their star forward, Kylian Mbappe recorded a goal through a penalty during his comeback over Poland, after suffering a nose injury in his opening match. However, France’s other two goals came courtesy of their opposition.
Meanwhile, Portugal qualified for the knockout stage after dominating Group F by winning both opening games. That allowed them to rest their star players during their fixture against Georgia, but they still managed to dominate their group despite losing this fixture. However, there are questions surrounding Christiano Ronaldo after the Portuguese captain missed a penalty during their match against Slovenia.
Christiano Ronaldo currently has the biggest xG underperformance in the Euro 2024 tournament and he will be keen to correct that tonight. However, that’s easier said than done as he goes against Arsenal’s William Saliba. Additionally, the fact that France hasn’t conceded a goal in the last four games means that this quarterfinal fixture will be tightly contested, with the most goals scored in the second half.
Can Luiz De La Fuente’s Spain end Germany’s hopes of reaching the finals?
Owing to their impressive group stage performance and a commanding win during their round of 16 fixture, Luiz De La Fuente’s side now ranks as the tournament favorites. Spain is heading into this fixture after winning all four of their matches so far and stands as the only team in the competition holding a perfect record. But can La Roja outrank tournament host Germany in this battle of the Giants?
Germany is also still unbeaten in the Euro 2024 tournament and ranks as the highest goal scorer so far after recording 10 goals. The winners of this fixture will book a spot in the semi-finals, where they will face the winner of the France vs Portugal quarter-final fixture. However, the Die Mannschaft haven’t recorded a victory against Spain in their last four games, although they’re more successful in head-to-head standings.
Looking at their previous fixtures, these two European powerhouses always intrigue their fans whenever they meet regardless of their current form. La Roja are currently the team with the momentum, while Julian Nagelsmann’s side has the most goals. That said, we tip both Spain and Germany to score in this game, although the match winner can go to either side.
