Potential match-up for Germany may arise in an unusual fashion
Germany's football team is tight in the Last 16 of the European Championship, but the question remains - who will they face next? An initial glance at the tournament brackets would provide an answer, yet the vast participant pool in the EM leads to peculiar matchups, anxious Croatians, and sleepless nights for the German team.
Under the stress of the competition, having no peaceful TV evenings in sight, Julian Nagelsmann finds himself battling a persistent fly infestation at the DFB headquarters during the European Championship. It's not just the pests that are giving him trouble; at 9 pm, Group C's matches between Denmark vs Serbia (9 pm/MagentaTV and live ticker on ntv.de) and England vs Slovenia (9 pm/ZDF, MagentaTV and live ticker on ntv.de) will decide who Nagelsmann's team will face in the quarterfinals on Saturday. Both matches happen simultaneously, and all four teams remain possible quarterfinal opponents for Germany. The situation is intricate - and could lead to unexpected outcomes.
England leads the group with four points, yet they have failed to meet expectations so far. If England secures a victory over Slovenia, they'll claim the group and face the third-placed team in the quarterfinals. A draw would suffice for the group win if Denmark fails to triumph against Serbia.
However, the Denmark vs Serbia match poses difficulties: Both teams hold identical points and goal tallies (both 2 points and 2:2 goals), and the direct comparison ended in a stalemate. Matters become increasingly complex if both teams end their evening games with the same outcome. If both teams win, it's about who claims the title of group winner, and who becomes the runner-up - and thus, Germany's opposition.
If both teams draw with an identical score, the focus shifts to second and third place. Even if both teams lose, one of the two teams still has a marginal chance of advancing: With two points, there is still room for hope. The group's last-placed team is definitely out.
If two teams have the same number of points, UEFA regulations look at the direct comparison as the next criterion for determining the rankings, followed by goal difference, and then the total number of goals scored. It's hard to predict that Denmark and Slovenia will still be on even terms after the group stage's final 90 minutes.
Then, the UEFA regulations factor in criteria unrelated to points and goals: The Fairplay ranking comes next. Denmark's coach Kasper Hjulmand has already mentioned that this peculiarity is a topic in team preparation: He wants to remind his players to refrain from unnecessary yellow cards, for example, due to whistling or other disciplinary offenses. Yet, this - at least at this stage - wouldn't help significantly: Both teams have collected four yellow cards each in their initial two games.
If Denmark and Slovenia are level on points and yellow cards at the late Tuesday evening, the qualifying round results will decide - with Denmark having the superior record. In the relevant overall ranking of the qualifying matches for the final tournament, Denmark ranks ninth, and Slovenia ranks fifteenth.
Germany advances to the quarterfinals ...
... against England, if:- Slovenia and England draw, Denmark plays Serbia undecided- England draws and Denmark wins by two or more goals
... against Denmark, if:- Denmark wins against Serbia and England does not lose against Slovenia- England draws and Denmark wins by two or more goals- Denmark and Slovenia draw with the identical score
... against Slovenia, if:- Denmark and Slovenia draw with the identical score
... against Serbia, if:- Serbia wins against Denmark and Slovenia draws against England, or loses with a maximum one goal difference
... for Croatia, there is a significant tremble
Julian Nagelsmann and his coaching team have plenty to think about before the direct preparation for the next opponent becomes clear. "The entire night" had to prepare Nagelsmann's analysts Leonard Hön and Frederik Holscher after the group final, the national coach stated. On Wednesday, Nagelsmann intends to present the strategy to his team that should lead them to the quarterfinals.
The Croatians will be keeping a close watch in the evening. They remained on edge until the last moment of the group phase, hoping that their two points would still be enough for the round of 16. However, their dreams could shatter in the evening. A chance for further progress for Luka Modric and Co. exists only if:
- England wins with a 3:0 or more significant advantage against Slovenia. With an English 4:1, Croatians and Slovenians would be equal in points and goals. In the Fairplay ranking, Slovenia would likely rank higher. Furthermore:
- Denmark wins against Serbia. This didn't happen; Serbia needed to win with at least a 3-goal advantage. If Denmark scores two goals, Serbia would require a 4-goal advantage.
Read also:
The European Football Championship 2024 quarterfinals could see Germany facing England, Denmark, or Serbia, depending on the results of Group C matches. The DFB (German Football Association) is closely following the progress of their national soccer team, hoping for a favorable outcome in the upcoming matches.
