Spain will face off against France in Munich for the first semi-final of Euro 2024 on Tuesday, July 09, 2024. The clash between two European powerhouses is expected to be electrifying.
Spain, the tournament’s joint-leading goal-scorers, are up against Kylian Mbappe‘s France, who have struggled with scoring but have displayed strong defensive discipline. Despite their captain’s struggles due to a broken nose, France has yet to score a goal in open play, but their solid defense has propelled them to the semi-finals.
Current Form
Spain has been in exceptional form, with wingers Lamine Yamal and Nico Williams excelling. La Roja has scored 11 goals in five matches, winning all of them. In contrast, France has managed just three goals in their five matches. Spain is on the brink of setting a Euro record for the most victories in a single campaign, while France has only managed draws against Poland, the Netherlands, and Austria.
Kylian Mbappe’s scoring drought is a concern, and the Real Madrid star was substituted in the second half of extra time during their quarter-final win over Portugal. However, coach Didier Deschamps remains optimistic about Mbappe’s potential to perform when it matters most.
“It’s not just linked to the last match, but everything he had to deal with before, with a back problem at the end of the league season, the trauma he had (to his nose). He could have been forced out of the tournament. He’s had to get over all of this, get used to the new conditions but I know he will do everything to be as effective as possible,” Deschamps stated.
“It’s something new for him and the fact of wearing a mask leads to having modified vision. Breaking his nose was a big shock, he needed time to digest it, but with each passing day the bruising has gone down,” added Deschamps.
Match Details
The first semi-final of Euro 2024 between France and Spain will be played at the Munich Football Arena from 9 pm local time (12:30 am IST on Wednesday).
Team News
Spain: Luis de la Fuente’s team will be without key players Pedri, who is out due to a knee injury, and defenders Dani Carvajal and Robin le Normand. Veteran Jesus Navas is expected to mark Kylian Mbappe.
France: France has no injury concerns. Marcus Thuram, who suffered a thigh injury in the quarter-final, has returned to training and is expected to play.
Predicted Line-Ups
Spain: Unai Simón; Navas, Nacho, Laporte, Cucurella; Olmo, Rodri, Fabián Ruiz; Lamine Yamal, Morata, Williams.
France: Maignan; Koundé, Saliba, Upamecano, Hernandez; Kante, Tchouaméni, Camavinga, Griezmann; Kolo Muani, Mbappe.
Where to Watch
The UEFA Euro 2024 semi-finals will be broadcasted live on Sony Sports Ten 2, Sony Sports Ten 2 HD, Sony Sports Ten 3, Sony Sports Ten 3 HD, Sony Sports Ten 4, Sony Sports Ten 4 HD, Sony Sports Ten 5, and Sony Sports Ten 5 HD TV channels in India. The Sony LIV app will provide live streaming of the matches.
Head-to-Head and Euro Record
Spain and France have faced each other 36 times, with Spain winning 16 and France winning 13 of these encounters. Spain, in their sixth semi-final, has reached the final four times, while France has won three of their previous five semi-finals.
The Sportz Planet Desk,
Atharva Shetye
