Spain vs Georgia Preview & Prediction | UEFA EURO 2024 | Round of 16

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Perfect Spain overwhelming favourites as they take on ultimate underdogs Georgia, who have been the story of EURO 2016 so far, getting through to the Round of 16 against all the odds.

KICK-OFF DATE/TIME: Sunday 30th June, 2024 - UK – 8:00pm / US ET – 3:00pm / US PT – 12:00pm

HOW TO WATCH ON TV: UK – ITV / US – FOX

HOW TO WATCH ONLINE: UK – ITVX / US –VIX

SPAIN PREVIEW: LA ROJA LOOKING FORWARD AFTER PERFECT GROUP STAGE CAMPAIGN

Group B could not have gone any better for Spain, who laid down a marker to all their rivals at this European Championships. Three games played, three wins over Croatia, Italy and Albania with five goals scored and none conceded saw them sail through to the Round of 16 with an exciting young team well complemented by some experienced winners.

The question now is whether the Spanish can carry such form into the knockout stage, where the stakes are ramped up and any dip in performance could see them dumped out. It would be a big surprise if Spain weren’t to maintain their recent high standards, having played such excellent football, but also with an impressive defensive resilience about them.

GEORGIA PREVIEW: SHOCK WIN OVER PORTUGAL SEES GEORGIA MAKE HISTORY

In their first ever appearance at the European Championships, Georgia have reached the knockout stage, a magical achievement for a nation of less than four million people. It’s thoroughly deserved though, following the most memorable win the history of Georgian football. Needing victory in their final group game to qualify, Georgia stunned EURO 2016 champions Portugal with Cristiano Ronaldo in their starting line-up, beating Roberto Martinez’s side 2-0 in Hamburg.

As Martinez rested the vast majority of his usual starting XI with Portugal already through as Group F winners, Georgia took full advantage, capitalising on a loose pass to take the lead in the second minute through Khvicha Kvaratskhelia on the counter-attack. It got better for them in the second half, winning a penalty which was converted by Georges Mikautadze, now the leading scorer at EURO 2024 having scored in all three of Georgia’s Group F fixtures.

SPAIN TEAM NEWS: NACHO AND PEREZ DOUBTS, BUT RODRI BACK FROM SUSPENSION

Luis de la Fuente will welcome back Rodri into his starting XI following suspension, not that he would have played against Albania after all of Spain’s first-choice stars were rested. Expect them all to be back in for this one, with the same team as the one which beat Italy likely to be fielded.

Defender Nacho missed the last two group games through injury and if he fails to recover in time to play here, then Aymeric Laporte should deputise again. Ayoze Perez is also doubtful with a muscle problem.

PREDICTED XI (4-3-3): Simon; Carvajal, Le Normand, Laporte, Cucurella; Pedri, Rodri, Fabian Ruiz; Yamal, Morata, Williams

UNAVAILABLE:

QUESTIONABLE: Nacho (Injured), Perez (Injured)

GEORGIA TEAM NEWS: KITEISHVILI BACK, CHAKVETADZE TO KEEP HIS PLACE

After recovering from injury, Otar Kiteishvili played from the start against Portugal and was outstanding along with the rest of their team, so should retain his place in the side. Willy Sagnol is also likely to keep faith with Giorgi Chakvetadze, who has started the last two games over Zurito Davitashvili.

However, Anzor Mekvabishvili is suspended following his yellow card after coming off the bench on Wednesday and Luka Lochoshvili is a doubt after being forced off just past the hour mark in the same game.

PREDICTED XI (3-5-2): Mamardashvili; Kakabadze, Gvelesiani, Kashia, Dvali, Lochoshvili; Chakvetadze, Kiteishvili, Kochorashvili; Mikautadze, Kvaratskhelia

UNAVAILABLE: Mekvabishvili (Suspended)

QUESTIONABLE: Lochoshvili (Fitness)

KEY STATS

• Spain have won six of the previous seven meetings between these two teams. All the six wins were in competitive matches. including two in the qualifying campaign for EURO 2024 (7-1 away, 3-1 home). Georgia won their only friendly encounter which was a 1-0 victory in Getafe in June 2016.
• Spain are just the second team to win all three matches in the group stage of the EURO without conceding a single goal. Italy are the only other team to achieve this at EURO 2020 before going on to win the tournament.
• Excluding penalty shoot-outs, Spain have lost only two of their last 25 EURO matches (W16 D7).
• Excluding penalty shoot-outs, Spain have not lost any of their last nine EURO matches (W5 D4).
• Spain have won ten and drawn one of their last 11 competitive matches.
• Spain have been losing at half-time in only one of their last 22 EURO matches.
• Alvaro Morata scored a hat-trick for Spain in their 7-1 victory against Georgia in September 2023 (EURO 2024 qualifying).
• Alvaro Morata has scored in two of Spain’s last three EURO knockout round matches.
• Ferran Torres has scored in three of Spain’s last four international matches against Georgia.
• Lamine Yamal (16y 353d) is set to become the youngest player to make an appearance in a EURO knockout round match, beating the record of Jude Bellingham (18y 4d – EURO 2020 QF).
• Georgia have reached the knockout rounds in their first EURO final tournament.
• Georgia have lost only two of their last ten international matches (W5 D3).
• Georgia have only failed to score in one of their last 12 international matches.
• Georgia have scored in the first half in seven of their last eight international matches.
• All of Georgia's four goals at EURO 2024 so far have involved Georges Mikautadze (3 goals, 1 assist).
• Khvicha Kvaratskhelia has scored in two of Georgia’s last four international matches against Spain.

SPAIN VS GEORGIA PREDICTION

After seeing how Georgia dealt with everything Portugal threw at them, not to mention the offensive threat they posed on the counter-attack, their fans have every right to believe that this Georgian fairytale can go on. The big question is how much did that heroic effort on Wednesday night take out of them, with little recovery time before another crunch game against arguably the most impressive team we’ve seen all tournament so far.

Spain’s key players are all well rested and full of confidence following their hugely successful group stage campaign. It’s hard to see them being caught out in the same way that Portugal’s largely second-string side was. Expect them to be tested here, but to pass this test and come out on top against a brave Georgia.

SPAIN VS GEORGIA TIP: SPAIN TO WIN