The knockout rounds of the European Championship kick off: Germany take on Denmark and Italy take on Switzerland
The Euro 2024 knockout rounds will begin in a few hours. Two 1/8 finals are about to be staged. In the top half, the host Germany will take on Denmark. Germany, a hard-blooded team, has always shown a strong performance in this tournament, both offensive and defensive, and it seems to be at ease. On the other hand, the Danish team is also good in terms of strength, but in the face of the strong offensive of the German team, I don't know if they can resist by their ability, which is also a major highlight of this game.
In the bottom half, defending champions Italy will face off against Switzerland. As the winner of the last European Championship, it should have been one of the favourites to win the tournament. , but the performance of the Italian team in this tournament is a little mediocre, without the domineering and sharp spirit of the past. In contrast, the Swiss team's defense in the group stage can be described as really leaky, showing their fans super defensive strength. When the two teams meet, it is destined to be an intractable contest, and it may be difficult to tell the winner in regular time.
Italy's road to defending their title was fraught with danger, with Switzerland taking their first win in the knockout round
The Italian team finally won the championship with its outstanding performance and tenacious fighting spirit in the last European Championship and became the dark horse at that time. The situation was not very rosy in this tournament, with only one win, one draw and one defeat in the group stage, and the last game was a draw with Croatia, narrowly advancing as the second place in the group, avoiding the embarrassment of the defending champions going out of the group stage. The core of the attack, such as Scamacca and Chiesa, also failed to shine as much as they did last time, while Donnarumma became a consistent force in the Italian defence, making saves against Spain and showing exceptional goalkeeping skills.
The Swiss were also eye-catching in the group stage, and although they were not fancied at first, they managed to break through with excellent performances and solid defence. They beat Hungary 3-1 in the opening game, drew 1-1 with Scotland in the second and were even more thrilling in the final round against hosts Germany, who were only held to a stoppage time draw. The consistency of players such as Shaqiri and Xhaka added a lot of confidence to the Swiss defence, while Akanji's defensive combination also showed great chemistry and defensive strength.
The two teams have faced each other 61 times in their history, with the Italian team having a clear advantage based on their previous results, but the last few meetings have been a close one, with five of those games ending in draws. In the group stage of the last European Championship, Italy showed their sheer strength in key moments by beating Switzerland 3-0.
For the upcoming match, Italy coach Spalletti expressed his respect and vigilance for the Swiss team, specifically mentioning the world-class level of Swiss player Xhaka, while also emphasizing his team's attitude and adjustment strategy. Swiss coach Jacin believes that it will be a big challenge to face a strong team like Italy with many good players, but he also said that the team has been focused on their performance and is fully prepared for this competition.
The German hosts came out strong, and Denmark held on to the challenge
German football has gone through a period of ups and downs in recent years, not least after a number of manager changes, which culminated in some stability after Julian Nagelsmann took charge. Kroos' return has undoubtedly added a lot of energy and organisation to the midfield. As hosts, Germany's performance at this tournament was quite impressive, especially in the opening game, which allowed them to start with a 5-1 victory. They also comfortably beat Hungary 2-0 in the next game, and although they were held to a last-by-time draw by Switzerland, they still qualified as group winners. Germany's attacking line has shown the ability to blossom in multiple points, with Phil Krueger and Musiala both performing well, while the backline has been solid despite leaking the ball under Manuel Neuer.
The Danish team has shown great strength despite the aging of the squad. They were excellent in the group stage, drawing 1-1 with Slovenia and England and drawing 0-0 with Serbia in the final round. However, the team's firepower in attack was clearly lacking, and attackers such as Hojlen were unable to find the back of the net, which also became one of the points of contention.
The two teams have a long history of encounters, with Germany clearly in the ascendancy, but recent games have shown Denmark's tactical execution and defensive firmness, making for a lot of uncertainty and excitement. In the upcoming match, Germany coach Julian Nagelsmann spoke highly of the overall strength and tactics of the Danish team, especially emphasizing the team's quick counter-attack and defensive aggression. Denmark coach Julmand, on the other hand, said he was looking forward to the challenge ahead, believing that they were capable of dealing with the strengths of the German team and hoping to show their quality and talent in the game.
The intense knockout match is about to kick off, and the showdown between Germany and Denmark will undoubtedly be the focus of attention from fans around the world. Germany, as the host, under the leadership of Nagelsmann, showed strong overall strength and attacking firepower; Denmark, on the other hand, relied on a solid defence and quick counter-attacks to try to make a difference in this tough battle. Meanwhile, defending champions Italy will face off against Switzerland, who have a strong defence, and it will be interesting to see who comes out on top.