Match Day Thread Germany v France, Euro 2016 Semi-Final, Thurs 7th July, KO 20.00

Here by popular request [thank you Archers] is the other semi-final thread.

v
Venue: Stade Vélodrome
Referee: Nicola Rizzoli​

MATCH FACTS
Head-to-head

• This will be the fifth encounter between Germany and France at a major tournament, but their first in the European Championship.
• France won the first meeting at a World Cup (in 1958) whilst Germany came out on top in the next three (in 1982, 1986 and 2014).
• Germany and France have won 36% of the European Championship finals (five out of 14). They are the top two scorers in the history of the tournament (72 goals for Germany, 60 for France).
• Alain Giresse is the last French player to score against Germany at a major tournament, at the 1982 World Cup semi-final.
• They last met in November 2015 - France won 2-0 in a match marred by the Paris attacks.
• France have never kept a clean sheet in their four meetings with Germany at major tournaments.

Germany

• Germany have reached the semi-finals in each of their last six major tournaments, the longest such run by a European team.
• Twenty years without lifting the European Championship trophy is their longest drought in the history of the tournament.
• They have lost just one of their last 18 games at major tournaments (a 2-1 defeat by Italy at Euro 2012).
• Thomas Muller hasn't scored a single goal in 10 games at the Euros - he also missed his penalty in the shoot-out against Italy last Saturday. He has 10 goals in 13 World Cup games.
• Bastian Schweinsteiger has played in 37 games at major tournaments, the joint-most alongside Miroslav Klose for any nation at the World Cup and European Championships.
• Mesut Ozil is the only player to have started all 24 of Germany's games since - and including - the 2010 World Cup. He's the top assist provider in the last four major tournaments with eight.

France

• France are in the semi-finals of a major tournament for the first time since the 2006 World Cup. They have actually progressed to the final on the last three occasions where they have made the last four, with their last failure in a semi-final dating back to Euro 1996 against the Czech Republic.
• They are unbeaten in their last 17 major tournament games played on home soil, winning 15 and drawing two. Their last defeat was in the inaugural European Championship in 1960 against Czechoslovakia.
• France are the top scorers at Euro 2016 with 11 goals in five games. France have not scored that many in a major tournament since Euro 2000 (13).
• They have scored five headed goals - a record by a team in a single Euro finals.
• Olivier Giroud has scored in each of his two starts against Germany. In fact, his first goal for France came in February 2012 in Bremen, against Germany. He has also scored past Manuel Neuer the last three times he has faced him (once for Germany, twice for Arsenal).
• Giroud has scored four goals and delivered three assists in six starts at major tournaments.
• Antoine Griezmann's four goals at Euro 2016 is the most by a French player in a major tournament since Michel Platini scored nine goals at Euro 1984.

Germany are without Mats Hummels, Sami Khedira and Mario Gomez. Schweinsteiger starts. France have everyone fit and available.
Match is covered by BBC One, Radio 5 Live, the BBC Sport website and App. Live text commentary also available there. Teams to follow later.

 

I'm firmly in the Anyone But Germany camp. So France v Portugal final (with a Portuguese win).

 

Now that Wales are out, France are my only hope of winning some money in one of my works' sweepstakes so, come on France!

 

Have we signed anyone yet?

 

The football supporters equivalent of... Are we there yet.?

 

No chance of Spider getting a few minutes.

 

I predict a repeat of the last time Germany played the host nation in the semi final of a major cometition

 

7-1 wasn't it? Don't think that's very likely.

 

I really don't know who I want on this one. Not keen on either team. I suppose I should go for France as we now have a French manager.

Vive la france!

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Comfortably neutral for this one. Germany looking good though.

 

I am supporting France simply because of he Bataclan etc.

 

Gallic flair versus Teutonic organisation and efficiency.....hmm......France for me.

 

Germany are looking simply irresistible.

I thought I'd never see a better international side than Spain (after they won the World Cup and Euros), but this German team we spell-binding. So much technical ability.

Interestingly, France have the players to counter attack them though.

 

Alan Green commentating on R5 synced with the pictures. A commentator with a bit of steel.

 

Greedy Giroud

 

Penalty!

Calling Tom! Was it?

 

Penalty to France.

 

Germany 0-1 France Griezmann pen.

 

For me it was.

 

Dreadful decision