Spain Euro 2024 preview – How will they line up in Germany?

Spain head to Euro 2024 focusing on their fourth triumph within the competitors. They achieve this as the present UEFA Nations League holders but additionally on the again of a lot of disappointing showings at latest main tournaments. Our Spain Euro 2024 preview seems to be at how Luis de la Fuente’s facet might line up in Germany and whether or not they’ve bought what it takes to go all the way in which.

Spain on the Euros – Earlier Outcomes

Yr	Wins	Attracts	Defeats	Consequence
1964	2	0	0	Champions
1980	0	1	2	Group stage
1984	1	3	1	Runners up
1988	1	0	2	Group stage
1996	1	3	0	Quarter-finals
2000	2	0	2	Quarter-finals
2004	1	1	1	Group stage
2008	5	1	0	Champions
2012	4	2	0	Champions
2016	2	0	2	Final 16
2020	2	4	0	Semi-finals

This would be the twelfth time Spain have taken half within the UEFA European Championship Finals and their total report is a fairly good one. Winners in 1964, 2008 and 2012, La Roja have been one of many dominant forces on the European stage, most notably throughout their golden period which culminated with Vicente del Bosque’s facet hammering Italy 4-0 within the Last 12 years in the past.

Excluding penalties, Spain have solely misplaced two matches on the Euros within the final 20 years, with each of these defeats coming at Euro 2016. They’ve not didn’t make it out of the group since Euro 2004 in Portugal.

Spain Euro 2024 squad

Goalkeepers

• Unai Simon, Athletic Membership
• David Raya, Arsenal
• Alex Remiro, Actual Sociedad

Defence

• Dani Carvajal, Actual Madrid
• Robin Le Normand, Actual Sociedad
• Dani Vivian, Athletic Membership
• Alex Grimaldo, Bayer Leverkusen
• Jesus Navas, Sevilla
• Marc Cucurella, Chelsea
• Aymeric Laporte, Al Nassr
• Nacho, Actual Madrid

Midfield

• Rodri, Manchester Metropolis
• Mikel Merino, Actual Sociedad
• Fabian Ruiz, PSG
• Fermin Lopez, Barcelona
• Alex Baena, Villarreal
• Martin Zubimendi, Actual Sociedad
• Pedri, Barcelona
• Dani Olmo, RB Leipzig

Forwards

• Alvaro Morata, Atletico Madrid
• Lamine Yamal, Barcelona
• Ayoze Perez, Actual Betis
• Ferran Torres, Barcelona
• Nico Williams, Athletic Membership
• Mikel Oyarzabal, Actual Sociedad
• Joselu, Actual Madrid

Luis de la Fuente has named a 26-man squad for the match with Marcos Llorente, Pau Cubarsi and Aleix Garcia the unlucky trio to overlook out having been named within the provisional squad.

It’s a squad that accommodates a couple of surprises with Ayoze Perez’s late season type at Actual Betis reserving his ticket to Germany. The 30 12 months previous scored on debut in final week’s pleasant win over Andorra.

Dani Vivian’s inclusion forward of Barcelona teenager Cubarsi has additionally raised some eyebrows and is reward for the robust season he’s had in central defence for Copa del Rey winners Athletic Membership. In the meantime 21 12 months previous Fermin Lopez additionally makes the squad having loved a breakthrough season at Barcelona.

The general consensus appears to be that this isn’t a classic Spanish squad, no less than not by the impossibly excessive requirements that had been set between 2008 and 2012. 

There are solely three gamers from Actual Madrid with Dani Carvajal the one a type of who’s an undisputed starter for Los Blancos. Pedri and Lamine Yamal are amongst 4 from Barcelona within the squad whereas Actual Sociedad are the membership to have contributed probably the most gamers with 5.

Spain Euro 2024 predicted lineup

As has tended to be the case throughout the gradual decline following the golden period, there are as many questions as solutions relating to the matter of Spain’s finest eleven.

There may be little doubt concerning the goalkeeper which is able to virtually actually be Unai Simon all through the competitors. He has endured combined fortunes in latest tournaments, however Luis de la Fuente has adopted Luis Enrique’s lead in figuring out that he’s the best choice between the sticks with David Raya more likely to be his deputy.

Dani Carvajal seems to be locked in at proper again after a robust season for European champions Actual Madrid. 

Issues are a bit extra fascinating at left again the place Alex Grimaldo appeared the excellent possibility after a good marketing campaign for Bayer Leverkusen that noticed him register 10 targets and 13 assists within the Bundesliga. He has solely received 4 caps for the nationwide staff although and Marc Cucurella featured simply as prominently within the warm-up video games which suggests we might even see these two rotate out and in all through the match.

Central defence does seem like one potential space of weak point for Spain. There are doubts about Aymeric Laporte’s stage after a season in Saudi Arabia however he was the popular companion for Actual Sociedad’s Robin Le Normand throughout qualifying that means Spain might head into a serious match with two centre-backs that had been truly born in France. It was Nacho who began the ultimate warm-up sport towards Northern Eire although and he’ll be hoping that his late season type with Actual Madrid has been sufficient to drive his method into the staff.

Rodri Hernandez is Spain’s finest participant and is a assured starter on the base of midfield. Alongside him, it seems like a straight struggle between Fabian Ruiz and Mikel Merino for one place and we might see the 2 chop and alter over the following few weeks with Ruiz the extra more likely to begin the match.

Pedri would ordinarily even be thought-about a assured decide however doubts over his type and health ranges might serve up a possibility for Dani Olmo to function within the quantity 10 function at instances. That’s one choice battle to regulate because the match progresses, however Pedri was spectacular within the pre-tournament friendlies and if he can carry that type into the Euros, he’ll be powerful to dislodge.

On the appropriate flank, 16 12 months previous Lamine Yamal seems to be sure to start out the opening sport towards Croatia and be a mainstay for Spain in Germany after some electrical shows for membership and nation over the previous twelve months.

Nico Williams faces barely extra competitors for his spot, with Olmo additionally on possibility out extensive, however the Athletic man seems to be the plain preliminary decide on the left. The presence of Williams and Lamine Yamal ought to in concept assist Spain make a real shift away from the predictable, possession-based soccer that has been thwarted by the likes of Morocco and Russia in embarrassing exits at latest tournaments.

Up entrance, a lot hinges on the type of Alvaro Morata. The Spain skipper hit an actual purple patch throughout the first half of the 2023/24 season for Atletico Madrid however has been badly out of kinds since firing a hat-trick towards Girona in early January, scoring simply two targets in his final 20 membership appearances.

Morata, probably the most capped participant within the squad, should still begin the group part within the hope that one thing will click on into place. Nonetheless if he continues to misfire, Mikel Oyarzabal, who scored a hat-trick within the warm-up win over Andorra, is probably the more than likely different.

Joselu is an alternative choice however the 34 12 months previous is extra seemingly for use as an influence sub, a job he’s performed properly for Actual Madrid this season. Ferran Torres additionally boasts a fairly wholesome worldwide scoring report of 19 targets in 41 Spain appearances however heads into the Euros on the again of little game-time for his membership.

How far can La Roja go in Germany?

Regardless of sure limitations and areas of concern, Spain nonetheless have some of the proficient squads at Euro 2024. A repeat of their run to the semi-finals three years in the past would principally be seen as successful, however they might want the thrilling Lamine Yamal to really explode in the event that they’re to have a real shot of going all the way in which.

Group stage fixtures

• June fifteenth – Spain vs Croatia (Berlin)
• June twentieth – Spain vs Italy (Gelsenkirchen)
• June twenty fourth – Spain vs Albania (Dusseldorf)

Spain have landed in a troublesome Group B and kick off with difficult video games towards acquainted foes Croatia and Italy who they met at Euro 2020. La Roja had been 5-3 winners over the Croats within the Final 16 of that match earlier than falling on the penultimate hurdle towards eventual winners Italy on penalties.

Ought to all go improper on matchdays one and two, they nonetheless have a fixture towards group outsiders Albania which is able to serve up an excellent alternative to place issues proper in a match the place three factors might even be sufficient to safe progress with 4 of the most effective third positioned groups progressing into the knockout stage.

Attainable routes to the Last

Luis de la Fuente’s facet begin their marketing campaign in Berlin they usually’ll be dreaming of constructing it again there for the Last on July 14th.

The best path for Spain could be to prime Group B which might arrange a Final 16 tie in Cologne towards a third positioned staff from one other group. Nonetheless that route can also put them on collision course with Germany assuming the hosts prime Group A and win their Final 16 match with the potential for a Spain-Germany quarter-final in Stuttgart.

That route might see Spain progress right into a semi-final in Munich on July ninth with Portugal the staff more than likely to supply the opposition, though clearly there’s plenty of soccer that must be performed earlier than we are able to begin speaking a couple of repeat of the Iberian derby semi-final from Euro 2012.

With Italy and Croatia for firm, Spain are maybe simply as more likely to end 2nd as they’re prime of Group B. Ought to that be the case, they’d face the runners-up from Group A of their first knockout sport in Berlin on June twenty ninth. That’s more likely to be one among Hungary, Switzerland or Scotland, except a type of sides can outfox the Germans to prime the group.

Win that and a quarter-final towards the winners of Group C could be the more than likely end result which might imply a conflict towards match favourites England in Dusseldorf. The winners of that match would more than likely face the winners of both Group D or Group E within the final 4, probably Belgium or France.

Ought to Spain end as the most effective 4 third positioned groups, they’ll count on a a lot harder Final 16 tie. Relying on numerous elements, they’d both face the winners of Group F (Portugal’s group) in Frankfurt or the winners of Group E (Belgium’s group) in Munich.