EURO 2024 gets off to a strong start as hosts Germany face Scotland in Munich on Friday night.
The winner will have a fantastic opportunity to qualify for the knockout stages, so the pressure is on.
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Germany is already carrying the weight of expectations of being the host country.
It is the first time that the country has hosted a major tournament since the 2006 World Cup, when it reached the semi-finals.
That will be the minimum objective for Julian Nagelsmann and his team, although Germany have struggled in recent years.
They were eliminated in the group stages of the previous two World Cups, while England beat Die Mannschaft 2-0 at Wembley in Euro 2020.
However, with players like Mats Hummels, Jamal Musiala and Kai Havertz having impressive campaigns for their clubs this season, there is a chance they will go far in the tournament.
Scotland will have something to say about that, with plenty of excitement surrounding Steve Clarke’s side.
An excellent qualifying campaign allowed them to finish second in the group, ahead of the Norwegian team with Erling Haaland and Martin Odegaard.
They also proved they can compete with the best after a convincing 2-0 victory over Spain at Hampden in March last year.
And while Scott McTominay grabbed the headlines with seven goals in qualifying, the midfield duo of John McGinn and Billy Gilmour were key to Scotland’s resurgence.
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Road to the Euro
Germany qualified for the tournament as hosts, but faced several top teams in the final months of preparation.
They beat France and the Netherlands in March before drawing 0-0 with Ukraine on Monday, but appear to have overcome the setback that saw them lose to Turkey and Austria in consecutive matches last year.
Meanwhile, Scotland have lost just once in the qualifying phase – in Spain, winning five of their eight games.
However, their form has declined since then, with defeats against Northern Ireland and the Netherlands, with the 2-0 victory over Gibraltar being a much-needed confidence booster.
Team News
Striker Serge Gnabry has been ruled out of the tournament in a huge blow for Germany.
The Bayern Munich star suffered a torn hamstring in the Champions League semi-final against Real Madrid and faces weeks off.
Although a thigh injury kept Timo Werner out of Tottenham’s final five games of the season, he now faces a race against time to be fit.
Scotland also suffered a setback last week with the injury to Lyndon Dykes, who now looks set to miss the Euros.
Lewis Ferguson will also be a big miss for the Tartan Army after undergoing knee surgery that could keep him out of action for six to seven months.
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Those to watch
Germany have a number of exciting players, perhaps none more so than Florian Wirtz, who was a key player in Bayer Leverkusen’s invincible Bundesliga-winning side.
The 21-year-old has scored 11 goals and provided 12 assists in the league this season, and has won 17 caps, with one goal.
Finding a way to get the best out of him and fellow midfielder Musiala will be key for Nagelsmann, and the role Havertz plays could be pivotal.
Mikel Arteta has seen Havertz return to his best this season, operating as a false nine, but Nagelsmann tends to prefer playing Nicolas Fullkrig as the focal point in attack.
For Scotland, their midfield can be decisive in winning games.
Even without Ferguson, players like Gilmour and McGinn will try to fight for control of possession, with McTominay being the main source of goals.
Captain Andy Robertson is always reliable and Bournemouth’s Ryan Christie can also produce moments of magic.
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Head to head
Germany will be the favorite for the clash and history confirms this.
They have won eight of 17 games against Scotland, losing just four of them in their most recent defeat in 1999.
Germany have won their last three meetings with Scotland, winning home and away in Euro 2016 qualifying.
SunSport Prediction
Germany haven’t done very well in recent major tournaments, but with the help of local support it should be too much for Scotland. 2-0.
When is Germany v Scotland?
- Germany’s opening clash with Scotland will take place on Friday 14 June.
- The game will start at 8pm BST.
- The Allianz Arena in Munich, Germany will host.
What is the channel and can it be broadcast live?
- Germany v Scotland will be broadcast live on ITV 1 and ITV 1 HD in the UK.
- You can live stream all the action from the ITV X app, which is available to download onto your phone or tablet.
Can I watch for FREE?
- Yes! The game is FREE to watch on ITV1 as long as you have a valid TV license.
Chances
- Germany – 1/4
- Draw – 24/5
- Scotland – 01/11
*Odds courtesy of William Colina and correct at the time of publication.
This story originally appeared on The-sun.com read the full story
