Georgia left Spain stunned early in their Round of 16 tilt after crafting a Spanish own goal. But the European giants poured on the pressure and staved off an upset — running away with it in the end, 4-1 — meaning a date with hosts Germany in the EURO 2024 quarterfinals.
It will be a rematch of the best group stage match of the FIFA 2022 Men’s World Cup. Both teams have changed a lot since then — coaches, tactics, and players.
For Spain, the emergence of dynamic wingers Nico Williams (Athletic Club) and Lamine Yamal (FC Barcelona) headline an exciting attack that has begun to evolve beyond the tiki-taka era. Williams’ decisive goal on the counter to seal the Georgia result was a glimpse of the new danger this Spain side poses.
But if Germany has reason to fear, so do their opponents. Bayern Munich’s Jamal Musiala and Bayer Leverkusen’s Florian Wirtz represent an electric combo for the hosts as well. Julian Nagelsmann boasts a slightly more seasoned team, helmed by international stalwarts Toni Kroos (Real Madrid) and Manuel Neuer (Bayern).
The energy is behind the hosts, who have their nation believing again and now face a golden opportunity to return to the semifinals of a major tournament. But Spain will be their biggest test yet.
Tune in Friday at 12PM EDT — and join us right here at Bavarian Football Works as we cover all the action. It will be titanic matchup in Stuttgart!
Looking for more thoughts and analysis on Germany’s 2-0 victory over Denmark? Good, then we have you covered with our Bavarian Podcast Works — Postgame Show where we cover the starting lineup selection, a rundown of the scoring and substitutions, and takes on how it all played out. You can get the podcast on Spotify or below: