It was always going to be England vs Germany at the European Championship wasn’t it. No tournament is complete without a match between the two long-standing rivals.
On this occasion, the Three Lions probably go into the match as slight favourites.
A more in-tune squad, home advantage, economical at the back… Germany really do have it all to do if they want to go deeper into the tournament in what is Joachim Low’s swan song.
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It won’t be easy for Gareth Southgate and his troops, mind.
A tactical or personnel switch could be the one thing which helps England get over the line, and Jose Mourinho believes he knows the one thing to stifle any German creativity.
“I keep saying when you have an option to take 26 players, you have to risk, gamble and take an injured player if the player deserves that,” he said on talkSPORT.
“Maguire is one of those players. He was confident, he was stable, he was intelligent [against the Czech Republic].
“He read the game well and he has a good partnership with Stones.
“Mings is doing a fantastic job, you could feel he was happy to come in for 10 or 15 minutes, he is a team player.
“I wouldn’t be surprised […] the way they (Germany) play with Havertz, Muller and Gnabry, three defenders and two wings backs – I wouldn’t be surprised if England went with three at the back: Stones, Maguire and Mings.”
Given their potential route to the final, England really haven’t had as good a chance of winning a tournament for years.
Albeit, the worst thing they could do is look further ahead than what’s directly in front of them.
If there’s one thing that everyone is aware of, the Germans always turn up in tournaments at some point.