A dream day for football fans. For the first quarter-finals of the Euro, on Friday, four of the top favorites for the final victory will compete for a spot in the semi-finals. At 7 PM, the Germans will host the Spanish team, which has made the best impression since the start of the tournament, at the Stuttgart Arena. At 10 PM, it will be the turn of the French and Portuguese teams to aim for a semi-final qualification at the Volksparkstadion in Hamburg (Beirut time).
7:00 PM: Germany vs. Spain
The two teams that have made the best impression since the start of the tournament face off. This could have been the final match-up, but the Euro bracket offers this duel as early as the quarters. At home, Jamal Musiala, the top scorer of the competition with three goals, leads his team and provides the creative spark that this selection lacked. The Germans are also the best attacking team of the Euro (10 goals), ahead of their opponent of the day, Spain (nine goals).
Is this enough to trouble La Roja? Very impressive in their first four matches, Spain has shown they have the capability to win the competition. With Lamine Yamal and Nico Williams on the flanks, the Spaniards have the weapons to unsettle the Germans. The winner of this duel between two formidable attacking teams will face the victor of the Portugal-France match in the semi-finals.
10:00 PM: France vs. Portugal
The second match of the day also offers an enticing showdown. After facing Belgium earlier this week, Didier Deschamps’ French team once again meets an opponent they know well. Defeated by the Portuguese in the final of Euro 2016, the French have not yet had the chance to take their revenge in the knockout stages. On Friday night, they will need to solve their offensive problems (only three goals scored in four matches, none from open play) to challenge a well-organized Portuguese defense.
The Portuguese, like the French, secured their qualification with difficulty against Slovenia. They even had to go through a penalty shootout after Cristiano Ronaldo missed a penalty in extra time and has remained goalless since the start of the competition. Unlike his team, goalkeeper Diogo Costa shone in this match, showcasing his skills with three saves during the penalty shootout.
