July 5th 2024.
Former Premier League star Alan Shearer has shared his predictions for the highly-anticipated Euro 2024 quarter-final matches. As the remaining eight teams compete for a spot in the semi-finals, all eyes are on Germany and Spain, who will kick off the action in Stuttgart tonight.
Germany, the tournament hosts, have been in top form, finishing first in their group and securing a comfortable 2-0 victory over Denmark in the round of 16. On the other hand, Luis de la Fuente's Spain has been dominant, topping their group without conceding a single goal and defeating Georgia 4-1 in the previous round.
Speaking on The Rest Is Football podcast, Shearer expressed his admiration for Spain's performance and predicted them to continue their impressive run by defeating Germany, who will have the added pressure of playing in front of their home crowd.
Later in the evening, another heavyweight clash will take place between Portugal and France, a rematch of the 2016 final. While France has not been at their best in this tournament, Shearer believes they have the upper hand, especially with veteran defender Pepe struggling to keep up with the pace of Kylian Mbappe.
Shearer also praised Portugal's star player Cristiano Ronaldo, who at 39 years old, is still playing at a remarkable level. However, he believes the match will ultimately be decided by France's attacking options and their ability to find the back of the net.
The following day, England will face off against the surprising Swiss team, who have exceeded expectations in this tournament. Shearer, a former England international himself, acknowledged that the Three Lions have not played their best football, but believes their recent victory over Slovakia could be the spark they need to advance.
However, Shearer also acknowledged the strength of the Swiss team and their impressive performances in all areas of the pitch. He also noted that England's tactics and formation are unlikely to change, with manager Gareth Southgate remaining loyal to his players.
The quarter-finals will conclude with a highly-anticipated match between the Netherlands and Turkey. After a shaky start in the group stage, the Dutch team put on a dominant display against Romania, with Donyell Malen scoring a quickfire brace to secure a 3-0 victory.
While Shearer admits it is a tough match to call, he believes the Netherlands will come out on top due to their strong attacking options, including Memphis Depay and standout performer Cody Gakpo.
Overall, Shearer's predictions align with the general consensus that these quarter-final matches will be fiercely contested and could go either way. But one thing is for sure, football fans around the world are eagerly awaiting the outcome of these highly-anticipated clashes.
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