EURO 2024: Germany vs Scotland Live
Preview: Germany vs Scotland
Allianz Arena in Munich will host the highly anticipated opening match of Euro 2024, Germany vs Scotland, on Friday at 7:00pm. Germany sees this tournament as an opportunity to make up for past disappointments, while Scotland is aiming for their first knockout-round appearance under Steve Clarke’s leadership.
The host nation, considered one of the top contenders, seems to have finally achieved some stability under manager Julian Nagelsmann with a recent four-match unbeaten streak (winning three and drawing one). Despite this positive form, past disappointments in tournaments may make home fans anxious before their first match. However, the host nation’s strong history in the Euros, with three tournament victories and a record 27 wins in championship matches, provides confidence. They have reached the semi-finals in three of the last four editions and can draw encouragement from the fact that the host nation has won their opening game in the last two Euros finals.
Based on their performance in the qualification campaign, Scotland, considered underdogs, have shown they are not just participating for the sake of it. Despite initially securing their place in the finals with an impressive run of five wins, including a victory over Spain, their form has since declined significantly, with only one win in their next nine matches. Manager Steve Clarke will be hoping that the excitement of the tournament will help the team overcome their recent struggles and potentially make history by reaching the knockout stages. However, past failures and a poor record against Germany suggest that Scotland may face challenges, although they have managed to score in their previous encounters with Germany.
Head-to-head
Scotland has not been able to win in their last four matches against Germany, with their most recent losses coming in two Euro 2016 qualifiers where they were defeated by an aggregate score of 5-3.
Prediction
Scotland may view Friday’s opening match as an opportunity to play without pressure, while Germany is burdened by high expectations due to their struggles in handling pressure in past tournaments. Despite this, Nagelsmann’s team has defeated France and the Netherlands this year and is facing a Scotland team that has not been performing well lately. Therefore, the hosts are expected to start the summer tournament with a straightforward victory.
