Hello and welcome to Sports Mole's live commentary of Friday's mouthwatering Euro 2024 quarter-final between Spain and Germany at the MHPArena in Stuttgart.
Two of the tournament's most impressive teams go head-to-head for the right to face Portugal or France in the semi-finals, as Germany seek to avoid becoming the first host nation to lose a men's Euros quarter-final.
Julian Nagelsmann's men made light work of Denmark in the last 16 with a 2-0 success, while La Roja were equally - if not more - impressive in their 4-1 crushing of trailblazers Georgia in their opening knockout tie.
Make sure you do not miss a moment of the action courtesy of our minute-by-minute updates below.
You can find our brilliant match report of Spain's dramatic success here.
Now the small matter of Portugal vs. France! Until next time all!
Kroos's last-ever professional kick of a football is gathered by Simon, and Spain are Euro 2024 semi-finalists. Merino's glorious 119th-minute header sees Germany become the first hosts to lose a Euros quarter-final.
Germany are patient, and a cross finds the head of Fullkrug - the man you want in that situation - but he heads wide!
Spain defending for their lives.
The Sociedad midfielder is free to meet Olmo's cross, which he does with a majestic leap, and his header leaves Neuer rooted to the spot.
WHAT WAS THAT ABOUT PENALTIES?!
Fullkrug bravely dives across Nacho's body for a diving header, but Simon springs to his right to deny the Dortmund man what would surely have been the winner.
Maybe a bit exaggerated, but you get the idea.
Anyway, we've started again.
© Reuters
Still everything to play for thanks to this man, but he was oh so close to completing the turnaround a minute ago.
Fifteen minutes until penalties everyone.
The Sociedad man has Neuer beaten with a brilliant left-footed drive from range, but it flies just wide of the far post.
Fabian Ruiz's race is run. Joselu - born in Stuttgart - comes on.
The hosts keep the ball alive, but Andrich's volley is wild.
Change for Germany by the way, Havertz makes way for centre-back Waldemar Anton.
FLORIAN WIRTZ SCORES FOR GERMANY! 🔥
The youngster equalises for the home nation in the 89th minute and they're back in the game 🇩🇪#Euro2024 | #ESPGER pic.twitter.com/zZYS7sxEZl — ITV Football (@itvfootball) July 5, 2024
This is the goal that sparked Stuttgart delirium, and in all honesty, it was richly deserved by Germany, who were banging on the door ever since Spain took the lead.
Wirtz's 89th-minute strike extends Germany's stay at Euro 2024 for another half hour after Olmo's composed opener.
My prediction - again - remains alive!
Extra time it is!
A Mittelstadt cross to the back post is nodded back into the danger area by Kimmich, and Wirtz sends a crisp half-volley into the ground, off the post and into the net.
Nagelsmann's men are still alive!
Simon's goal kick - after all that malarkey - is extremely poor, and Havertz nips in.
The Arsenal man goes for the lob with Simon off his line, but his effort loops just over the top. Spanish sighs of relief all around.
Oh here we go!
Jonathan Tah is off for Germany, and Thomas Muller is brought on to a terrific reception.
Fresh legs time. Morata and Williams off, Real Sociedad teammates Mikel Merino and Mikel Oyarzabal on.
Simon was completely beaten, though.
Wirtz's delivery finds Fullkrug, who is on the way down but still hooks his right foot around the ball, which strikes Simon's near post.
"With Olmo's first-time effort evading the attentions of Neuer and nestling into the Germany net, Yamal earned his third assist of the tournament, meaning that he now leads the Euro 2024 playmaking charts.
"The 16-year-old walked Raum into the box before producing a composed pass for Olmo, with the Barcelona prodigy continuing to show his raw ability and football intelligence in equal measure."
The Barcelona man is then booked for stopping Musiala bursting away.
That's all three Germans who could have been banned for the semis banned for the semis.
As things stand, that will be the final yellow card of his career.
Havertz and Fullkrug are two-on-two and the former sets away his Borussia Dortmund colleague, but Carvajal gets back to nip in and see the ball back to Simon.
Germany upping the ante though.
Nations League hat-trick hero Torres is on for Yamal, who is far from happy about coming off.
How he would love a goal, though.
Dani Olmo gives Spain the lead! 🇪🇸
And it's another assist for starboy Lamine Yamal... 💫#Euro2024 | #ESPGER pic.twitter.com/ThFR1cqtXx — ITV Football (@itvfootball) July 5, 2024
A lovely finish from Olmo, and a third assist of the tournament for Yamal.
Gundogan and Raum come off for Mittelstadt and Niclas Fullkrug. Germany going for it.
No complaining, though. Gripping stuff.
Germany come again, but Rodri puts a foot in before the ball can drop for Gundogan to get a volley away.
Morata drops deep to send Yamal away down the right, and the 16-year-old finds the run of Olmo, who sweeps a first-time finish into the far corner past Neuer.
Lift-off at last!
Williams picks out Yamal with a lovely cross to the back post, and the Barcelona man finds Morata with his back to goal.
He's under pressure from Tah but manages to turn and shoot, albeit over the bar.
Andrich and Wirtz join Nacho as second-half newbies. Leroy Sane and Can make way
And Nacho Fernandez for Spain. Le Normand off after that yellow card.
© ReutersThere has already been one notable Spain victory today... at Wimbledon. Defending champion Carlos Alcaraz beat Frances Tiafoe in a five-set thriller to reach the last 16.
Would not be a surprise to see Raum stay on for the time being - Mittelstadt is another at risk of a ban.
Challenges flying in left, right and centre. Will either manager take off a booked player at half time?
HT: 🇪🇸 0-0 🇩🇪
All of Spain's shots came from outside the box (8/8), while all of Germany's shots came from inside the box (3/3). #EURO2024 #ESPGER | @bet365 | #Ad pic.twitter.com/F9rF7NQD2C — Play Squawka Selector for Free (@Squawka_Live) July 5, 2024
Just the 0.29 xG for Spain and 0.27 for Germany in the opening 45, where there were more fouls (15) than shots (13).
La Roja being restricted to efforts from range, though, and Neuer has been equal to all of them fired at him.
Fair to say this one is yet to explode into life, unless scrappiness and frequent fouls are your definition of exploding into life...
Neither side in full flow, although Neuer has been the busier goalkeeper. Havertz's header may be the best chance so far, though.
My extra-time prediction still on...
Two minutes added on.
Kroos gives away another foul for shoving Olmo over. Still no booking.
Rudiger then does enough to put Morata off.
This one is still on a knife-edge.
The Arsenal man chests down a fantastic Rudiger ball over the top and fires a volley at goal, but Simon gets down to his right and saves.
Despite being heralded for his playmaking abilities at the base of the German midfield, Toni Kroos did his best Robin Andrich impression during the fiery opening exchanges of this match.
The Real Madrid star's rough challenges have forced Pedri off the pitch, and it is clear to see that Die Mannschaft are extremely wary of La Roja's running power, looking to stop the danger at source - often by any means necessary.
A few bodies hit the floor and Simon eventually claims.
Germany free kick in a promising area...
Kai Havertz with a chance to give Germany the lead but it's saved by Unai Simon 🧤#Euro2024 | #ESPGER pic.twitter.com/kUOlmnH6uD — ITV Football (@itvfootball) July 5, 2024
Either side of the 'keeper and this one goes in? We'll never know.
Just as I type that, Yamal makes a nice sliding interception and Spain have the ball back.
A chance.
A promising Germany move breaks down before Spain steam down the other end of the pitch, but an ambitious Morata strike hits a white shirt.
It is Lamal, and it is deflected behind.
Rudiger sticks a leg out to stop Olmo in his tracks and is cautioned. That's him out of the semis (if Germany get there).
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This was the tackle that forced a disconsolate Pedri off. Looking back, how Kroos did not get a booking is astounding.
There's no room for sentimentality in a Euros quarter-final Anthony Taylor!
Confirmation of that change - Pedri is off and Olmo comes into the number 10 role.
Dani Olmo getting ready as a distraught Pedri gingerly walks off. Have to feel for him.
Kroos remonstrated heavily there... not sure why. Fortunate not to be booked.
Now Kroos scythes down Pedri as the Barcelona man tries to break.
Williams and Morata link up nicely, but Pedri's strike on the edge of the box is straight at Manuel Neuer.
Now Cucurella is down...
Strap in folks, this will be special.
That repeat of the 2016 showpiece kicks off in about three hours time in Hamburg.
The Germans go second. Can looks laser-focused.
I would not be at all surprised to see extra time and penalties needed, making my winners... Germany, of course.
Not long to go now! Cue the quintessential shots of stoic faces in the tunnel.
Plus, THAT 6-0 Nations League thrashing in 2020...
Spain were one of the victims in the first instance of the Euros hosts playing in the quarter-finals, losing to England on penalties in 1996.
Nice to have some fond memories of Three Lions shoototuts from that year!
© ReutersAt the other end of the experience scale, a Spain win would also mark the end of Toni Kroos's glittering career; the Germany maestro will hang up his boots after the Euros.
His ex-Real Madrid teammate Joselu said before the game that he wants to "retire" the 34-year-old tonight. Fighting talk!
The 16-year-old former is still waiting for the goal that will make him the youngest male player to score at the Euros, although it was not for a lack of trying against Georgia.
I certainly do not envy Joshua Kimmich and David Raum this evening...
Therefore, a player can only be banned for the final if they are sent off in the semis, or if they are sanctioned by UEFA for any antics. Jude Bellingham just about escaped that fate earlier...
Alvaro Morata, Robin Le Normand, Dani Vivian, Dani Carvajal, Maximilian Mittelstadt and Antonio Rudiger are also walking a tightrope.
© ReutersA reminder that had Aleksandar Pavlovic not come down with an extremely untimely bout of tonsillitis, Can would not even have been in Germany's Euro 2024 squad.
Some story for the former Liverpool midfielder. Maybe Nagelsmann objected to Andrich's new pink hairstyle and this is his punishment?
Tah was banned for the Denmark win, where Schlotterbeck excelled, albeit not to the level capable of keeping Tah out of the team.
There had been talk of Dani Olmo potentially displacing Pedri, but the Barcelona man gets the nod.
Subs: Baumann, Ter Stegen, Gross, Fullkrug, Fuhrich, Muller, Beier, Schlotterbeck, Anton, Wirtz, Mittelstadt, Henrichs, Andrich, Koch, Undav
Subs: Raya, Remiro, Nacho, Vivian, Merino, Joselu, Olmo, Torres, Grimaldo, Baena, Zubimendi, Oyarzabal, Navas, Lopez, Perez
Julian Nagelsmann's men have been in imperious form throughout the tournament and comfortably saw off Denmark 2-0 in the last 16, even with a thunderstorm delay.
Meanwhile, La Roja ran out convincing 4-1 winners over a plucky Georgia side to advance to the quarters, coming from a goal down to conquer the Crusaders.
With just 30 minutes to go until kickoff, time for a look at the team news...
Ben Knapton
Germany
Switzerland
Hungary
Scotland
Spain
Italy
Croatia
Albania
England
Denmark
Slovenia
Serbia
Austria
France
Netherlands
Poland
Romania
Belgium
Slovakia
Ukraine
Portugal
Turkey
Georgia
Czech Republic
