It all goes to the wire as two European soccer giants Spain and France lock horns on Tuesday at Munich’s Football Arena with each groups eyeing a spot within the Euro 2024 last.
This thriller’s winner will face the Holland-England semifinal winner within the championship match.
La Roja have been unstoppable, storming into the semifinals with an ideal report.
Emerging as leaders from Group B, the place they confronted Italy, Croatia and Albania, Spain did not concede a single objective.
They then dispatched Georgia within the spherical of 16 and edged previous hosts Germany in an exhilarating quarterfinal after further time.
As for Les Bleus, their journey started in Group D with Austria, Netherlands and Poland.
They secured their spot within the knockout levels with one win and two attracts, ending second behind Austria.
The French group overcame Belgium within the spherical of 16 and narrowly beat Portugal in a penalty shootout within the quarterfinals.
With a high-charged youthful offense, comprising of Athletic Bilbao’s Nico Williams, Barcelona’s Lamine Yamal and Ferran Torres and stalwart Alvaro Morata, Spain have been relentless, main the event with 102 pictures, changing 11 into targets, tying with Germany because the top-scoring group.
In distinction, France’s protection powered by Barcelona’s Jules Kounde, Bayern Munich’s Dayot Upamecano, Arsenal’s William Saliba and AC Milan’s Theo Hernandez, has been almost impenetrable, conceding just one objective – a penalty towards Poland – and conserving clear sheets in 4 of their 5 matches.
This semifinal marks the thirty seventh assembly between Spain and France on the senior degree.
La Roja maintain the higher hand with 16 wins to France’s 13, and 7 matches ending in attracts.
Spain have scored 64 targets to France’s 39.
Recent historical past additionally favors Spain, with 5 wins of their final eight encounters since 2008.
Their final important conflict was the 2020-2021 UEFA Nations League last, the place France triumphed 2-1 in Milan regardless of Spain taking an early lead.
Spain intention to avenge that loss and transfer one step nearer to their fourth European title.
Luis de la Fuente’s males’s semifinal look in Euro 2024 marks their sixth, having beforehand reached this stage in 1964, 1984, 2008, 2012, and 2020.
They have gained the championship thrice and completed as runners-up as soon as.
France, beneath Didier Deschamps, additionally mark their sixth semifinal look.
They have gained the event twice (1984 and 2000) and reached the ultimate in 2016.
They fell brief within the semifinals in 1960 and 1996.
France have but to attain from open play on this event.
Their targets have come from set items and penalties, together with an personal objective by Austria’s Maximilian Wober, a penalty by Mbappe towards Poland, one other personal objective by Belgium’s Jan Vertonghen, and a penalty shootout victory over Portugal.
Spain will miss defenders Dani Carvajal and Robin Le Normand as a result of suspensions from their quarterfinal conflict with Germany.
Midfield maestro Pedri, together with Nacho and Ayoze Perez, face late health assessments.
France, alternatively, enter the semifinal with none important accidents or suspensions.
Expected lineups
Spain: Unai Simon; Navas, Nacho, Laporte, Cucurella; Olmo, Rodri, Fabian Ruiz; Lamine Yamal, Morata, Williams.
France: Maignan; Kounde, Saliba, Upamecano, Hernandez; Kante, Tchouameni, Camavinga; Griezmann, Kolo Muani, Mbappe.
Source: www.dailysabah.com