Old rivals square up again
England and Germany, longtime adversaries on battlefields and soccer pitches, renew combat in a Euro 2020 last-16 clash at Wembley in London tonight and it’s a match that could go either way.
England against Germany is one of the classic confrontations of modern football, pitting together two old war rivals and two of the most influential countries in the modern game.
That tonight’s Euro-2020 tie takes place at Wembley Stadium adds even more stature to the clash, recalling the famous English triumph in the 1966 World Cup and Germany’s in a golden-goal finish over the Czech Republic at Euro 1996.
Home advantage has not always previously served the English well and the Germans will carry no fear of trekking to London again, but Gareth Southgate’s side will start as marginal favourites.
Germany have been poor by their own high standards over the last nine months, leading to the inevitability that long-standing World Cup-winning coach Joachim Loew would step down at the end of Euro 2020.
Their 6-0 loss in the Nations League to Spain last November was followed by an equally calamitous home defeat in a World Cup qualifier in March at the hands of North Macedonia. That sealed Loew’s departure and he is to be replaced by Hansi Flick, who won the UEFA Champions League with Bayern Munich last year.
The change of guard might have some effect, but Germany showed some of their old form when losing by only an own goal to France in their opening Group F game.
They bounced back with typical efficiency to beat Portugal and although twice behind to Hungary in their last group game at home in Munich, the Germans rallied to draw the match.
Admittedly, it was not impressive stuff, but the Germans know how to win and are fully capable of ending English hopes at Wembley again.
Tonight’s game is followed later by the last clash in the round of 16 when Sweden and Ukraine meet in Glasgow.
This is one that both will relish as they find themselves in a position to get through to the last eight, which must surely have been the limit of their ambitions before the start of this European Championship.
Sweden did better in the group phase but Ukraine are difficult to beat. They have spirit as they showed when two goals down to the Netherlands in their first group game. They got it back to 2-2 before suffering a last-gasp 3-2 defeat.