Two candidates for Euro 2024 champions, Spain vs France, will clash in the semifinals played at the Allianz Arena, on Wednesday (10/07) at 00.30 IST. The match is believed to be tight.
Spain will face a team with a strong defence and also plays with a pragmatic mindset, tending to secure the final result no matter how the team plays.
France has never conceded a goal from open play, nor have they scored in such situations. France's defensive strength is also evident in the way Didier Deschamps has deployed N'Golo Kante, Aurelien Tchouameni, Adrien Rabiot and Eduardo Camavinga in midfield.
France's style of play is a stark contrast to Spain, who have swept all matches with wins so far. Looking at the official UEFA website, three tactical battles will be crucial in the Spain vs France tactical duel.
1. Tackling Spain's Wings
Spain have moved on from tiki-taka and are now more direct in their attack. Possession remains key, but they are not reliant on it as Spain is also dangerous on the counter-attack.
One of Spain's strengths when attacking is on the wing side of the game. On the left side is Nico Williams (21 years old) and on the right is Lamine Yamal (16 years old).
Williams has a goal and an assist, while Yamal has three assists. Stopping Spain's two speedy wingers will be a major focus for France.
"It's a great team, with a new coach. Nico and Lamine are there, and they make the difference every time they have the ball. We have to find a way to deal with them," French striker Antoine Griezmann told Mundo Deportivo.
2. Youth vs Experience
Spain will be without two of their mainstay defenders, Dani Carvajal and Robin Le Normand, against France due to suspensions. At right-back, Luis de la Fuente could potentially rely on 38-year-old Jesus Navas.
If so, that area will be interesting to watch, because Navas' potential opponents are young and agile players such as Kylian Mbappe, Ousmane Dembele, and Bradley Barcola. That makes it a duel of youth vs experience.
3. Rodri the playmaker, N'Golo Kante the power in midfield
The duel for the ball in the midfield will also be very interesting. Spain is predicted to take over the tempo of the game, and control possession, and in that case, Rodri will play a key role in organizing the attack.
When Spain's midfield comes together to attack, it won't be easy for them to get past N'Golo Kante, Aurelien Tchouameni, Eduardo Camavinga and Adrien Rabiot. The battle in that area will be crucial.