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The match that will draw conclusion to the matchday 1 of UEFA European Championship 2021 is undoubtedly the most anticipated match of this matchday. It will be the clash of two heavyweights, France and Germany, at the Allianz Arena in Munich.
The two teams are placed in Group F of the competition, which has been termed as the ‘Group of Death’ for completely justified reasons. Alongside France and Germany, the defending champions of this competition, Portugal are also in this group.
Interestingly, Germany and France have crossed paths often in major competitions, but never in the group stage itself. These two teams met in the semi-final of the last edition of this competition, where France emerged victorious.
Going by the forms of the two teams, it will not be a surprise if we get to see a repeat of that result in this match. Les Bleus have lost only one of their last 13 games, and have won 10 of those matches.
Didier Deschamps’ men played two friendly matches before coming into this competition, where they scored six goals without conceding any. The French head coach has at his disposal the world-class midfield duo of Paul Pogba and N’Golo Kante.
In addition to that, Real Madrid striker Karim Benzema has been added to their already intimidating attack, which makes the defending World Cup champions hot favourites to win this competition. All of that being said, it will be foolish to write Germany off.
Their recent form might not be too convincing, but on their home turf, Joachim Low’s men are always difficult to beat. Germany have won only six of their last 13 matches, but they have lost only two of those matches. It only goes on to show that the majority of those matches went down the wire, and with a bit of clinical edge, their records could have been much better.
That clinical edge is what Germany will need to find in this game, as the rock-solid defence of France is unlikely to provide them with too many opportunities. The German players will also be aiming to present Low with the perfect farewell gift as he is leaving his job post this competition, and it can be used as a morale-booster.
Key Players
Though Didier Deschamps had to substitute Karim Benzema earlier than he planned in France’s last friendly against Bulgaria, it has been reported that the talismanic frontman has been training well and there are no signs of any discomfort. This will be the first major competition in national colours since the 2014 FIFA World Cup for the Real Madrid striker, and he will be aiming to grasp the opportunity with both hands.
There will undoubtedly be an incredible amount of talent on display in this match, but purely in terms of raw talent, there is hardly anyone who comes close to Kylian Mbappe. A World Cup winner at the age of 19, Mbappe has already scored 17 goals for his nation. Following a 42-goal season for Paris Saint-Germain, he will be fairly confident coming into this competition.
A lot has changed in German football since their golden era from around 7 years ago, but there has been one constant for them through thick and thin – Thomas Muller. Though now in his thirties, the Bayern Munich player is looking fitter than ever before. He scored 11 goals in the recently-concluded edition of Bundesliga.
Miroslav Klose’s retirement opened the door for the emergence of a new German frontman, and the one Die Mannschaft got took very little time to break one of Klose’s records. Serge Gnabry, who is the fastest to score 10 goals for Germany, might have had a difficult season for Bayern Munich. But having scored 16 international goals in just 22 appearances, it will be safe to say that Gnabry unleashes the best of him whenever he dons the German kit.
Prediction
Germany were arguably the favourites when these two teams clashed in Euro 2016, but tables have turned since then. Die Mannschaft have been inconsistent in the last few years. After a horrific end to their 2018 FIFA World Cup campaign, Germany went through a phase of rejuvenation, but it didn’t last very long.
On the other hand, France are one of the most formidable and lethal teams in international football at the moment. Barring a few rare slip-ups, they have been impeccably consistent. The addition of Karim Benzema to the mix is likely to work wonders for them, while their midfield general, N’Golo Kante is also enjoying the form of his life.
Keeping all of that in mind, it will be safe to say that France are likely to win this match, and it will be a real surprise if they don’t. Both France and Germany have found joy in front of the goal in their last few matches. Hence, we can expect goals in this match.
