Having led Germany to its first decent tournament in almost a decade, Julian Nagelsmann faces his greatest challenge yet — an actual title contender. No offense to teams like Denmark and Hungary, but Spain are clearly on another level. A level that may be too much for the Germans to handle for the moment.
So, what does the former Bayern Munich manager have planned for this one?
Team news
Nothing much in the way of news — Jonathan Tah returns to the side after missing the Denmark game with a suspension, otherwise the Germans have a fully fit squad for Nagelsmann to select from.
Assuming he holds to his current patter, a return to this lineup seems likely:
Leaving Nico Schlotterbeck out would be a bold move considering his MotM-worthy performance against Denmark, but Nagelsmann has repeatedly demonstrated that he prefers a settled backline. Maximilian Mittelstädt over David Raum may be a defensive choice to limit Spain and their incredible wingers (Nico Williams and Lamine Yamal) while Joshua Kimmich continues to provide width.
Florian Wirtz over Leroy Sané is a major question mark, given that neither player has set the world on fire so far this tournament. Honestly, this would be a great opportunity to start Niclas Füllkrug, but the coach has made it abundantly clear that he doesn’t see Füllkrug as a starter in the current setup.
The rest of the XI practically selects itself. Kai Havertz can’t be benched no matter what (for some inexplicable reason), İlkay Gündoğan is the captain, Toni Kroos and Robert Andrich are indispensable, and benching Jamal Musiala is essentially equivalent to a forfeit.
Germany won’t be bringing many surprises to the table vs Spain — they’ll have to rely on their game plan and its execution.
Looking for more thoughts and analysis on Germany’s big matchup with Spain in the EURO 2024 quarterfinals? Then check out our Bavarian Podcast Works — Preview Show where we break down how excited fans should be, two key positional showdowns on the pitch, a guess at Julian Nagelsmann’s starting XI and a prediction on the game! You can get the Bavarian Podcast Works — Preview Show on Spotify or below:
Hasibur Rahaman is a passionate sports journalist. He covers everything from cricket to field hockey, delivering up-to-the-minute updates and in-depth analysis of sporting events, both within India and on the international stage.
