Spain vs Georgia prediction: EUROPE: Euro – Play Offs betting tips on match 2024-06-29 19:00.
[p]Overlooked by many when it came to predicting the winners of Euro 2024, Spain were the best-performing side in the group stage, escaping from the ‘group of death’ also containing Italy and Croatia with ease by winning all three matches – the only side across the groups to do so. It was also the first time in their major tournament history that La Roja went through an entire group stage without conceding, marking them out as serious contenders for the title as the knockout phase begins.[/p]
[p]The route to Berlin is certainly not straightforward for Luis de la Fuente’s men however, as they find themselves on the same side of the draw as Germany, Portugal and France. First to challenge the Spanish though are Georgia – the lowest-ranked nation at these finals – and a side that La Roja have won all six prior competitive meetings against by an aggregate score of 19-3![/p]
[p]On their major tournament debut as an independent nation, Georgia have defied the odds to qualify for the knockout stage after a heart-stopping group campaign. Willy Sagnol’s men booked their place in the Round of 16 with a 2-0 victory over a second-string Portugal outfit, a result that goes down as arguably the most significant in their history.[/p]
[p]A victory against Spain in Cologne would obviously eclipse that, and though the Crusaders are obviously big outsiders for this clash, their win against Portugal showed they’re happy to play with their backs against the wall. Georgia kept a clean sheet against their illustrious opponents despite having just 28% possession – the lowest by a team in a win at the Euros since records began in 1980![/p]
[p]Players to watch: Captain and talisman Alvaro Morata needs just one goal to move outright into third on the list of all-time scorers at the Euros. Each of his last five scoring appearances for his country have been in wins by multi-goal margins, including netting a hat-trick in a 7-1 win over Georgia in qualifying for these finals. Opposite number Georges Mikautadze is enjoying himself in Germany, as he became just the ninth player in competition history to score in all three group games at a single Euros.[/p]
[p]Hot stat: The only other time Spain won their first three games at a European Championship, they went on to lift the trophy in 2008.[/p]