- Germany to take on Spain in the last-eight
- Lehmann backs his country to prevail
- Both teams have been in spectacular form
WHAT HAPPENED?
The former German goalkeeper has aimed shots at Luis de la Fuente’s side ahead of the highly anticipated match between Spain and Germany in Stuttgart. Both teams have been in sensational form at the tournament but Lehmann believes that the hosts will have the edge over an “inexperienced” Spanish side.
WHAT LEHMANN SAID
Lehmann earned 61 caps for Germany and now works as a pundit on German television. During a show on Welt TV, Lehmann remarked: “We’ve seen the good results [Spain] have had, without doubt, in the group phase. In terms of technique, they might be better than us. But they’re small in terms of height, and they’re inexperienced. They’re a team of kids. They have very young players. They don’t have much international experience.”
THE BIGGER PICTURE
Despite Lehmann’s comments, Spain’s performance at the Euros so far has been nothing short of remarkable. They were the only team to earn maximum points in the group stage, winning all three of their games against Croatia, Italy, and Albania without conceding a goal. Youngsters like Barcelona’s 16-year-old sensation Lamine Yamal and Athletic Club’s 21-year-old Nico Williams have been instrumental in their success, with Spain romping past Georgia 4-1 in the last-16.
Hosts Germany also had a strong showing in Group A, beginning the tournament with a resounding 5-1 victory over Scotland. They followed this with a 2-0 win against Hungary and a 1-1 draw with Switzerland before easing past Denmark 2-0 to secure their place in the quarter-finals.
DID YOU KNOW?
Spanish forward Mikel Oyarzabal was not bothered with Lehmann’s comments. He dismissed them and said: “It’s another opinion, it’s respectable, but we don’t share it. We know we’re a group that makes a great team. People will have their reasons for saying what they think, but it doesn’t affect us.”
WHAT NEXT?
As the two teams prepare for their quarter-final clash, the stage is set for a thrilling encounter. Lehmann’s comments have added an extra layer of intensity to the match, with both sides eager to prove their superiority on the field. It remains to be seen whether Lehmann stands vindicated after the final whistle but fans can definitely expect a high-octane battle when the two footballing giants meet in Stuttgart on Friday.
