FotMob Daily Briefing: Four things to look out for today at the Euros
Euro 2024 is finally upon us. We know the squads. We know the fixtures. We know the favourites. And we’re well aware of the underdogs. Yet there are still a number of things you might not know.
By Sam McGuire
In the first of what is going to be a daily feature on FotMob for the entirety of the tournament, here are four things you should look out for as hosts Germany kick things off on Friday evening with a match against Scotland.
Home advantage matters
Since Euro 1996, the host nation has appeared in a semi-final match on five occasions. Furthermore, both Portugal (2004) and France (2016) made it to the final but neither were able to lift the trophy. This does, however, tell us that home advantage really is a factor.
Germany have a fairly decent record as a host nation too. In 1988, West Germany played host to the Euros and they made it all the way to the final four. In 2006, the Germans hosted the World Cup and claimed a third-place finish after losing to Italy in the semi-finals.
There’s a reason many view Julian Nagelsmann’s side as dark horses for this tournament.
The first of many matches in Munich
The first game of the tournament is to be played at the Allianz Arena, home to German giants Bayern Munich. The 75,000-seater stadium will be reduced to a 70,000 capacity when it plays host to six games in total throughout the summer including the first semi-final to be played on 9 July.
Opened in 2005, the Allianz Arena hosted six matches at the 2006 World Cup, with Germany recording a 4-2 win over Costa Rica there on matchday one.
It was also used for four matches at Euro 2020. The German national team appeared in three of those. However, the hosts managed just one victory, a 4-2 victory against Portugal.
Ending the streak
Scotland and Germany have faced off just 17 times throughout history. The Germans have had the better of these clashes, winning on eight occasions and losing just four times.
Germany are unbeaten in their last four matches against their Friday night opponents.
Scotland last recorded a victory over Die Mannschaft in April 1999. That is their only win against Germany in the last 65 years. Interestingly, though, they have scored in each of their last five outings against the Germans though. And each of their last three defeats have been by a single goal.
A group of death?
People might be sleeping on the fact that Group A is potentially a group of death with Hungary and Switzerland joining Germany and Scotland.
If Scotland manage to take something from this game, it changes the entire dynamic of the group. After all, many expect Steve Clarke’s men to finish and even a point would give them a solid platform to potentially progress while turning potentially turning the remaining games for Germany into must-not-lose ones.
(Cover image from IMAGO)
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