Hosts France will be confronted with German opposition in the EURO 2016 second semifinal at Stade Velodrome, Marseille as Les Blues try to win their third European Championship on home soil.
Two times France hosted the tournament, they went ahead and won it. In 1984, captain Mitchel Platini netted nine goals as he guided his country to glory. Zinedine Zidane &Co also made sure in 2000 that the trophy did not leave French territory.
The current French team, led by Paul Pogba, would like to emulate the feats of 1984 and 2000. But they have to get to the final first. And to do that they must overcome world champions, Germany, who they have not beaten in 58 years in any major competition.The last try was at the last world cup in Brazil, where Matt Hummel’s header ensured that German domination of the French continued.
This will be the fifth time France will play Germany at a major tournament finals and the first in the European Championships.
France won the first meeting (6-3 at the 1958 World Cup) while Germany have been unbeaten by Les Bleus since winning on penalties in 1982 before a 2-0 victory in Mexico 1986 and the said 1-0 quarter-final win at the 2014 World Cup in Brazil.
Nevertheless, the difference today is that France is playing at home and they also face a German team, weakened by the absence of key players like Sam Khedira, Mario Gomez and Hummels. The first two are out due to injury, while Hummels is banned.
This apart, Germany have never beaten France at home before. The last match between the two in a friendly on 13 November 2015 at Stade de France, France won 2-0, though the game was overshadowed by terror attacks in the French capital.
Nevertheless, in a major competition, Alain Griesse remains the last French player to score against Germany – at the 1982 world cup semi-final. But this may change tonight with this French team who have scored the highest number of goals (11) so far in the tournament.
Westham’s Dimitri Payet, Arsenal’s Oliver Giroud and Atletico Madrid’s Antonie Griezmann have been marvelous before home crowds as they seem to be scoring at will. They were all on the score-sheet against Iceland in the quarter-final.
Going forward and dominating the game, Les Blues under Didier Deschamps have been fantastic but the defence is suspect. And you don’t line up against Germany, renowned for ruthless finishing, with a shaky defence.
Germany got boosted with the late fitness of their captain from Man Utd, Bastian Schweinsteiger, who is playing his fourth European Championship. A relieved coach Joachim Löw said that his experience will be crucial to survive against France.
Moussa Sissoko, who was on the bench when Germany defeated France in 2014 in Brazil, confessed that that defeat still sticks in the throat. He said that France, “now a better team” wil be going for revenge. Speaking at a press conference he said: “We want to win at all costs in order to qualify. Being knocked out in the quarter-final at the world cup still sticks in the throat.
“We have a calmer team than two years ago and we have had good results. We now need to prove ourselves on the field. Thursday, on paper, is the biggest game of the tournament.”
The french team are burdened by the weight of expectations of a whole nation, who expect them to do what no French team has succeeding in doing in 58 years.
This is the biggest game so far in this year’s European Championships. It is a battle between two heavyweights of European football. Marseille’s vociferous die-hard supporters will be on hand to cheer their team to victory. But winning against Germany will not be easy, notwithstanding the talk about a weakened German side.
Stade de Veldrome Marseille, Venue of the match
Both teams have a 50-50 chance of going through. It will all depend on which of the two teams that rises higher to the occasion. The winner of this match enters the final on Sunday against Portugal as favourites.
Kick-off: 21.00 (CET)
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