Spain vs Germany TACTICS at the Euro 2024

Spain and Germany have offered entertaining football so far, in the tournament.

While part of the favourites for the trophy preferred a more cautious, tactical approach in their games so far, both Spain and Germany adopted a direct style of play, utilizing very well their strengths.

For this reason, at least for me, this is the most anticipated game. As it will be a clash of direct, expansive football and I am curious which of the teams is going to take the step back, if any.

Spain dominated their group, winning 3 out of 3 games, scoring 5 goals and conceding none. The only team that managed to score against them was Georgia, through an own goal.

Spain overwhelmed all their opponents so far, adopting a pressing game and pushing their opponents as close to their goal as possible. Even Italy.

On the other hand, even though they won their group, Germany dropped points against Switzerland and barely managed to draw that game, thanks to their super sub – Niclas Füllkrug.

Germany have utilized a direct style of play, man marking up top and pressing their opponents, forcing their mistake. And besides the game against Switzerland, this approach paid off.

Spain has fielded a 4-3-3 formation so far and for the first in many years, they managed to integrate wingers in their possession game. And it shows.

A sweeper keeper on defend duty in goal. The duty for this player does not matter, if the goalkeeper is vigilant and protects the goal.

In front of him, a back four made of two full backs on attack duty and two ball playing defenders on defend duty.

The full back role was preferred instead of the wing back one as the full backs advanced gradually while their team was in possession.

Also, if we look at the instructions assigned to each role, we notice that the wing backs are told to cross from the byline, which is something the Spanish defenders did not do so far.

They are both told to stay wider, to provide their teammates with the width needed to avoid the opposition’s pressing game.

Marc Cucurella has cut inside quite often, switching places with bot Nico Williams and Fabian Ruiz. As assigning an inverted wing back role would be a stretch in this case, I asked the player to cut inside with the ball, to make him cut inside when the opportunity arises.

In front of them, Rodri is assigned a regista role. This is because Rodri has been the passing hub of the team, dispatching the ball wherever needed.

He is asked to shoot more often, to mimic his style of play.

Fabian Ruiz and Pedri are assigned a mezzala and a central midfielder role on support duty. Fabian Ruiz was assigned a mezzala role, as he took up wider positions when Nico Williams or Marc Cucurella cut inside.

And Pedri may have seemed to play under the radar, but he work was tremendously important for his team, as he got further forward and either dragged an opponent onto him or linked up play between the right flank and the mid areas.

Get further forward and roam from position as player instructions for him.

And the front three are assigned winger on support, inverted winger on attack and a pressing forward on attack duty.

Lamine Yamal wasn’t as expansive as Nico Williams and seemed to hug the touchline more than his teammate.

While Nico Williams seems to be the most dangerous out of the Spanish players. The inverted winger role player instructions seem to have been chosen for Nico Williams. I only added the roam from position instructions, as the player looked for space and moved into it when possible.

And Alvaro Morata is the player nagging the opponents, doing anything possible to move into channels and getting into goalscoring opportunities.

As mentality, positive and sometimes attacking, maybe against Georgia.

In possession, fairly wide attacking width, play out of defence, shorter passing directness and a slightly higher tempo.

Low crosses and work the ball into the box. Spain has crowded the opposition’s box, sometimes overwhelming their opponents defence.

And run at defence. As Spain attacked the opposition’s box whenever the chance arose.

In transition, counter-press, counter and distribute the ball to the defence, through short kicks.

Out of possession, high press and a much higher defensive line. The much higher defensive line helps overwhelming the opponent, as any ball breaking the counter-press is then taken over by the remaining defenders.

By doing so, Spain conceded a few counterattacking chances to their opponents, one of them proving to be decisive – the goal from Georgia. But when you weigh how efficient the defensive game was so far, employing this setup, one goal in four games is a risk they can take.

Trigger press more often and prevent the goalkeeper short distribution.

While Germany is going to use a 4-2-3-1 formation, most likely. With a sweeper keeper on attack duty in goal. It’s Manuel Neuer after all.

A back four made of two wing backs on attack duty and two ball playing defenders on defend duty.

The wing backs and the wingers’ movements are Germany most important assets so far, besides Toni Kroos’s passes.

The wing backs are utilized like so, to widen the play and force the opponents to come and face them, creating space in the half space for the wingers.

Both are told to stay wider.

The two players in front of them are assigned a regista and a defensive midfielder role, on support duty.

To be honest, the regista role is the closest role I could find to match Toni Kroos’ style of play. The important thing is to make this player drift wide and stay on the defensive line when the team is in possession, starting attacks with pinpoint passes.

Of course, he is told to stay wider.

And the players up top are two inverted wingers on support duty, one advanced playmaker on support and one dep lying forward on attack duty.

The important thing for the wingers is to tuck inside when possible, making room for the wing backs to move into.

Both Leroy Sane and Jamal Musiala have played a very direct football, driving towards the opposition’s goal at every opportunity.

Ilkay Gundogan has been quiet so far for Germany, but this is due to him being a passing hub for his team, dispatching and creating goalscoring opportunities for the attacking trio.

And Kai Havertz was not a standard striker, being utilized as a player that could come deep for the, dragging opponents onto him or attacking the goal late in the buildup.

The front four players have mark tighter as player instructions. As they man marked their opponents, especially in the game against Denmark.

As mentality, positive and sometimes attacking.

In possession, fairly wide attacking width, play out defence, slightly higher or standard passing directness and a higher tempo.

Mixed crosses and run at defence.

In transition, counter-press, counter and distribute the ball to the defence, through short kicks.

Out of possession, high press and a higher defensive line. Trigger press more often and prevent the goalkeeper short distribution.

Spain and Germany have seem to have similar tactics, even though different formations. They are both direct in possession and defend fiercely and high up the pitch.

If they don’t shut down and cave in to the pressure, we might be in for quite a match.