With the dust settling from the welcome news that Arsenal had completed the signing of David Raya from Brentford, my focus shifted to the quarterfinals of the European Championships with a keen eye on the first clash of the round being the hosts, Germany, against arguably one of the best teams in the competition, Spain. As expected, both teams fielded their strongest XIs, with towering defender, Jonathan Tah, returning to the fray for Germany after serving his suspension.
Spain weren’t intimidated by the sea of white smeared across the stands and they drew first blood when the exciting Nico Williams made a slalom run down the left, teeing up Alvaro Morata, that cushioned the ball for Pedri at the edge of the box. The Barcelona youngster drilled a goal-bound effort but Germany’s shot stopper, Manuel Neuer, was on hand to make a good save. Sadly, that was the only contribution for Pedri as shortly afterwards, he would be on the end of a dark arts tackle from Toni Kroos, which was enough to end his involvement for the day, with Dani Olmo coming on in his stead.
Germany had an opportunity to take the lead when Ilkay Gundogan showed his class with a deliciously smart turn in possession before spreading the play to an onrushing Joshua Kimmich on the right. The Bayern defender swung a neat cross that was attacked by Kai Havertz, but his header went straight to Unai Simon in the Spain goal. Havertz had another great opportunity when he collected a diagonal ball from Antonio Ruediger and used his pace to evade Robin Le Normand, but he blasted a shot from an acute angle that was saved by Simon.
Both nations continued to trade blows with each other, as you’d expect from a heavyweight boxing match with two titans locking horns. Olmo received a good pass from Marc Cucurella and fired a shot that was saved by Neuer. Morata received an intelligent pass from Lamine Yamal, showed great strength to hold off Tah and blasted his shot over the bar. The Spanish pressure continued and they got the goal their play deserved when Yamal threaded an inch-perfect pass for Olmo that was side-footed home by the attacking midfielder. Even the harshest of critics can attest to the fact that Spain looked good value for their lead.
Germany reacted with attacking substitutions as Niclas Fullkrug and Max Mittelsdaedt came into the fray to add some impetus to the forward surge. Fullkrug made an instant impact when he latched onto Havertz’s cross and teed the ball for the purple-haired Andrich, whose one-time shot was parried by Simon. Fullkrug was in action again when he attacked Florian Wirtz’s pass and reacted faster than Nacho to fire the drilled cut back but the post spared Simon that was rooted to the spot. Simon, who was probably feeling the heat, inexplicably punted a weak goal kick and rushed forward to anticipate the ball, but Havertz showed some quick thinking to chip the ball, rather than square it for Wirtz that was in acres of space. Unfortunately, the ball sailed over the bar.
The pressure from Germany was incessant and with one minute of regulation time left, Mittlestaedt lofted a cross that was nodded back to the area by Kimmich of all people, but Wirtz was on hand to swing his leg at it, as the ball hit the back of the net with some assistance from the post. The stadium went into raptures and we braced ourselves for 30 more minutes of action.
The tiredness was on show in extra time but both sides continued to press and probe for the killer blow. Mikel Oyarzabal came close with a wild effort at the edge of the area, Wirtz sent a cut back wide, there was a penalty shout for Germany when a surprisingly ineffectual Jamal Musiala fired a shot that clipped Cucurella’s arm and Fullkrug flicked a goal-bound header that was saved superbly by Simon.
Just when we thought that we were going to penalty shootouts, Spain struck the dagger into the hearts of everyone connected with German football. Olmo, that had been a live-wire since he came on for Pedri, switched the ball to his right foot and curled a peach of a cross into the danger area. With Ruediger in No Man’s Land, Mikel Merino, the unlikeliest of scorers, leapt to the air and nodded the ball into the net with Neuer having no chance in Hell to make a save.
119 minutes on the clock. Pure bedlam.
Germany threw everything to the kitchen sink and the final effort they could muster arrived when Thomas Mueller whipped in a fantastic cross but Fullkrug’s header went wide off the mark. Musiala was in possession and had intentions of floating the ball into the box but Dani Carvajal dragged him to the ground, earning himself his second yellow card of the day for an early bath. He had already received a yellow card early in the game that was enough for him to miss the semis if Spain qualified, but he certainly took one for the team.
Anthony Taylor’s whistle was like music to every Spaniard, while the usual expected tears poured down the eyes of the Germans. This was also the swansong for the likes of Neuer, Kross and probably Mueller, but Julian Nagelsmann can pat himself in the back for restoring some measure of pride to German football. After things had become so stale under Joachim Loew, the arrival of a top manager like Hansi Flick was expected to come with big things, but Germany went to the trenches, and he rightly got the boot for his poor showing in the helm.
Nagelsmann, 36, the youngest gaffer to lead any team to the European Championships, will have the 2026 World Cup to plan for, and the performances of the Havertz, Fullkrug, Musiala, Wirtz and Ruediger showed spur him in his bid to fight for a place in the mundial and go all the way.
After enjoying such a brilliant game of football, I expected Portugal vs. France to follow suit, but I was served up with a boring fest, with the only high points being the penalty shootouts. France has somehow qualified to the semis with one penalty and two own goals in five games. Everyone has brought pitches and torches for how England has struggled offensively, but France has taken Satanball to new heights, focusing on a very good defense, while doing fuck all in attack. It’s fair to say that the back line of Jules Kounde, William Saliba, Dayot Upamecano and Theo Hernandez have been impenetrable, but they’d have their work cut out for them when they meet Spain in a few days time.
Sayonara.
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