This should be an entertaining watch
Euro 2024 returns after a long two-day hiatus and the quarter-final clashes promise to be nail-biting watches as hosts Germany take on Spain and France face Portugal later today.
Spain have looked to be the most promising and consistent team in the tournament so far. They won all their group games before beating tournament debutants Georgia 4-1 in the last-16.
Spain are a team full of stars with the likes of Atletico Madrid striker Avaro Morata, PSG midfielder Fabian Ruiz and Athletic Bilbao winger Nico Williams.
However, the talking point of this Spanish side throughout the tournament has been Lamine Yamal, the 16-year-old wonderkid who became the youngest player to play in a Euros.
Should he score, he’ll become the youngest player to score a goal in the competition and at the end of that 4-1 demolition of Georgia, you could see his teammates willing him to get on the scoresheet. He did set up Spain’s second of the night but is still waiting for that first goal.
Yamal will face Barcelona teammate Ilkay Gundogan who captains Germany. The German side will hope their home support can help disrupt Spain’s good form.
It’s the fourth time the two sides have met at a European Championships, Spain have won two of those to Germany’s one but no host nation has ever been eliminated from the quarter-final stage.
Centre-back Jonathan Tah is available after a one-match suspension and it is expected he will partner Antonio Rudiger as Nico Schlotterbeck drops to the bench.
They have plenty of attacking threat with Jamal Musiala already scoring three times so far this tournament and Kai Havertz converting from the spot twice.
Spain take on Germany at 5pm on ITV.
Later, two of the greatest footballers of the modern day will face off as Kylian Mbappe’s France take on Cristiano Ronaldo’s Portugal.
Portugal’s star-man has struggled to find form in this tournament so far with that missed penalty against Slovenia leaving him in tears but luckily his goalkeeper Diogo Costa saved his side from an early exit in the penalty shootout.
There will, no-doubt, be some tired legs in that Portugal side after that game went to extra-time but they have no new injuries to report.
There will be plenty of other stars in the Portuguese squad who will be ready to step up against France regardless of Ronaldo’s impact on the game. Bruno Fernades’ long balls will be a threat and Manchester City’s Bernardo Silva will also be hungry to get on the scoresheet.
They have failed to score in the last two matches as they lost 2-0 to Georgia in their last group game before that goalless draw against Slovenia in the last-16, but they have never failed to score in three consecutive matches in a major tournament.
Although France enter this tie as favourites, they have not really impressed in front of goal so far. An Austrian own goal secured their opening game 1-0. They drew their next two group games 0-0 and 1-1, with their only goal against Poland being an Mbappe penalty. They narrowly beat Belgium 1-0 in the last-16 with a late Vertonghen own goal.
However, France have only lost one of their past 14 games against Portugal, although that defeat came in the Euro 2016 final at the Stade de France.
Portugal face France at 8pm on BBC 1.