2024-07-05 19:32:17
07:23 AM
After three weeks of many emotions, the Euro Cup things get serious with two great games this Friday to kick off the quarter-finals: Spain-Germany and Portugal-France.
On the turf of Stuttgart and Hamburg stadiums will be four of the most prestigious teams in Europe, that’s nine of the 16 Henri-Delaunay trophies played since the creation of the Euro Cup: three for Germany (1972, 1980 and 1996) and Spain (1964, 2008 and 2012), two for France (1984 and 2000) and one for Portugal (2016).
The one achieved by the Seleçao eight years ago against Didier Deschamps’ Bleus, won at the Stade de France in extra time (1-0), is probably the most bitter memory of the French coach and certainly that he will want to get revenge.
Of those present in Hamburg on Friday, the coach was not alone in that disappointment: Antoine Griezmann and Olivier Giroud are the only survivors from that team.
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But Giroud, the leading scorer in the history of the ‘Bleus’, is no longer a starter and has hardly taken part in this Euro Cup, and it seems that ‘Grizi’ is not at his best either, in the image what part another. of the team after a bid.
On the other hand, Cristiano Ronaldo (39 years old), who left early in the 2016 final due to injury, and the defender Pepe (41) are still pillars of the team coached by Roberto Martínez Spanish now.
Mbappé vs. Ronaldo
Another of Hamburg’s top attractions will be seeing, face to face, Kylian Mbappé and Cristiano Ronaldo.
“It’s an honor, everyone knows how much I respect him. I was lucky enough to meet him, talk to him. We stay in touch and he gives me advice. “He is a football legend, but of course we hope to beat him and go to the semi-finals,” the Frenchman said on Thursday.
The ‘Bleus’ captain used his appearance in front of the press again to reiterate a political message ahead of the second round of French legislative elections on Sunday.
“More than ever, we must vote. It is very urgent. We cannot leave the country in the hands of these people, it is very necessary. We’ve seen the results, it’s devastating,” he said referring to the first-round victory of the far-right National Group (RN) party.
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If Mbappé barely stood out so far in the championship, with only one goal scored, it’s not a competition so far either. CR7, not yet scored and in the round of 16 he missed a penalty against Slovenia which could have cost the Seleçao elimination.
“He is an example: someone who wants to win every day, who wants to compete every day, even though he has won everything and has a lot of records. It is a privilege to have such a committed player,” defended Portugal coach Roberto Martínez.
Early end
The winner of the semi-final will face the winner of the match that will be played in Stuttgart and will measure the two teams that have shown the best football so far and are the main scorers: 9 for Spain and 10 for Germany. .
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“It’s a final, it’s very fair,” said the Spanish coach Luis de la Fuente. “We will try to take the initiative against a rival who has a very similar idea to ours and we will try to prevail. “Whoever makes the fewest mistakes will have the best chance of winning the game,” he said.
This game will also have an aroma of revenge. In 2008, Spain na Fernando Torres, Xavi and Andrés Iniesta They beat the Germans (1-0) in the continental final, starting a golden era for the ‘Red’, with the 2010 World Cup and the 2012 Euro Cup.
On the field, the interest will follow the evolution of the youth Lamine Jamal (16 years old) and Nico Williams (21) two of the emotions associated with the championship or, in the rival camp, Jamal Musiala, the leader of the ‘Mannschaft’ despite the fact that he is only 21 years old.
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Not forgetting that, In the case of Germany’s defeat, it will be the last game as a professional for Toni Kroosannounced his retirement after this tournament, although the former Real Madrid midfielder (who is no longer listed as a member of the squad on the club’s website), has expressed confidence in playing a few more games.
“I don’t think it will be my last game and I will do everything I can to make sure that doesn’t happen,” he said.
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