By most metrics, this quarter-final pits together the best teams in the competition.

The joint record EURO winners are the leading scorers in 2024, have conjured the most attempts on target, lead the way in terms of passing accuracy and have conceded just three goals between them.

And they have done it all in entertaining fashion, blending precocious youth and wise old(er) heads.

“It will definitely be a match of equals,” says Germany skipper İlkay Gündoğan.

“The two sides are probably playing the best football in the tournament at the moment. It will come down to who deals better with not having the ball at times and not panicking.”

Barcelona’s Gündoğan will come face to face with club-mates past (Rodri) and present (Lamine Yamal, for one), a measure of the depth of intrigue. Strap yourselves in.

Possible line-ups

Spain: Unai Simón; Carvajal, Le Normand, Laporte, Cucurella; Pedri, Rodri, Fabián Ruiz; Yamal, Morata, Williams
Misses next match if booked: Carvajal, Le Normand, Morata, Vivian

Germany: Neuer; Kimmich, Rüdiger, Tah, Raum; Andrich, Kroos; Musiala, Gündoğan, Wirtz; Havertz
Misses next match if booked: Andrich, Mittelstädt, Rüdiger

Route to the quarter-finals

Spain

Group B
3-0 vs Croatia (Morata 29, Fabián Ruiz 32, Carvajal 45+2)
1-0 vs Italy (Calafiori og 55)
1-0 vs Albania (Ferran Torres 13)

Round of 16
4-1 vs Georgia (Rodri 39, Fabián Ruiz 51, Williams 75, Olmo 83; Le Normand og 18)

Germany

Group A
5-1 vs Scotland (Wirtz 10, Musiala 19, Havertz 45+1 pen, Füllkrug 68, Can 90+3; Rüdiger og 87)
2-0 vs Hungary (Musiala 22, Gündoğan 67)
1-1 vs Switzerland (Füllkrug 90+2; Ndoye 28)

Round of 16
2-0 vs Denmark (Havertz 53 pen, Musiala 68)

Expert predictions

Graham Hunter, Spain reporter

A clash of the titans.

Perhaps the two best teams so far at EURO 2024; a simply unmissable match.

Why do I have such faith that La Roja can halt Germany and continue what I think can be a surge to their fourth title? Because the planning, talent, confidence, attitude, quality and, crucially, solutions, are at such a high level.

May the better team win.

Philip Röber, Germany reporter

Where to begin? From “Musiala/Wirtz vs Yamal/Williams” to “the early final” and “a battle of the possession machines”, this match is generating an endless stream of storylines.

If Germany can reproduce their high intensity levels while adding a little more efficiency than in previous outings, I think they have a good chance of going through.

Who will emerge triumphant? It’s a coin toss.

Views from the camps

Luis de la Fuente, Spain coach: “It’s going to be an equal game. It could have been the EURO final and I think it’ll be an even game on a footballing level. Germany always start matches strongly, so obviously we’ll try and counter that. We’ll try and take the initiative and go all-out from the first minute.”

Julian Nagelsmann, Germany coach: “It’s not a final, it’s a quarter-final. We want to be one of the teams in the semi-final. Spain want to be champions as well, so it’ll be a tough game. Both teams are good in possession, have good counter-pressing qualities and can put their opponents under pressure.”