Spain eliminated Germany (2-1 aet), host country of Euro-2024, and awaits in the semi-final the winner of the other match on Friday, France-Portugal, played at 9:00 p.m. in Hamburg.
A beautiful favorite head. The « Roja » claimed a fifth win in as many games in the tournament, even if it took until the very end of extra time and a superb header from Mikel Merino (119).
The other hero of the match was Dani Olmo, who scored the first goal (51) and provided the assist for the goal that crucified the Germans.
The disappointment of the German players eliminated by Spain in the quarter-finals of the Euro, July 5, 2024 in Stuttgart / THOMAS KIENZLE / AFP
Germany can have regrets, they had goal chances in extra time, notably through Niclas Füllkrug. They had nevertheless snatched extra time by equalizing in the 89th minute through Florian Wirtz.
But Julian Nagelsmann’s team, shaken by Switzerland (1-1) in the group stage, threatened by Denmark in the 8th before the match turned (2-0), stopped in the quarter-finals.
Spain lost Dani Carvajal in the battle, the hero of the Champions League final Real Madrid Dortmund (2-0) was sent off for two yellows in extra time, including an unsportsmanlike gesture on Jamal Musiala.
The curse of the host country
But the curse of the host country continues: no host country has won the trophy since Michel Platini’s France in 1984.
Combo created on July 3, 2024: Portuguese Cristiano Ronaldo (left) and French Kylian Mbappé, respectively in Frankfurt and Düsseldorf on July 1, 2024, in Germany / Javier SORIANO, Kenzo TRIBOUILLARD / AFP/Archives
The France-Portugal match also brings back cruel memories for the Blues on this subject, Cristiano Ronaldo’s team beat them at home in the 2016 final (1-0 aet).
In addition to the French coach, some of the players from this match will also be on stage in Hamburg.
Cristiano Ronaldo, who went off injured early in the final, is still there, at 39, as is Pepe, at 41, in central defense.
On the French side, Antoine Griezmann, the hero of Euro 2016 with his 6 goals, is also in the game, while Olivier Giroud is only a substitute.
Frenchman Antoine Griezmann, July 1, 2024 in Düsseldorf, Germany / OZAN KOSE / AFP/Archives
More « Grizi » is not in great form at this Euro. He did not score, missed opportunities and his hybrid position on the right side against Belgium (1-0), in the 8th final, was not a success.
No excuses for Mbappé
Kylian Mbappé acknowledged that Griezmann was “in a slightly harder time”but he regretted that his partner was “a little butchered” by critics.
The captain of the Blues himself admits that “not having found all (his) legs” and not “not being 100%” before facing the Portugal of his childhood idol, Cristiano Ronaldo, but « Look » doesn’t want it to be ” an excuse “no more than the mask that protects his broken nose.
Mbappé and Griezmann warmed up together on the Hamburg SV pitch, exchanging passes.
And if the masked striker has only scored once on penalty, against Poland (1-1), CR7 has not scored any. He even missed a penalty against Slovenia (0-0, 3 tabs to 0), cried about it, before converting the first penalty of the series.
The offensive sluggishness remains the big problem of the French team in this Euro, it did not score any goals in the game, two own goals complementing Mbappé’s penalty for a meager haul of 3 goals.
French striker Kylian Mbappé (left) and France national team coach Didier Deschamps, June 27, 2024 in Paderborn, Germany / FRANCK FIFE / AFP/Archives
On the other hand, his defense, in the great tradition of Didier Deschamps, is almost impenetrable: only one goal conceded, a penalty from Robert Lewandowski.
But to beat Portugal, the efficiency slider will have to be significantly raised.
To try to remedy this, the coach started Randal Kolo Muani in attack, the hero of the 8th final against Belgium (1-0), where his thrust and then his shot caused Jan Vertonghen to score an own goal.
In the middle, it is Eduardo Camavinga who replaces Adrien Rabiot, suspended.
On Saturday, the other two quarter-finals will see England face Switzerland (6 p.m.) and Turkey face the Netherlands (9 p.m.).
