France faces Germany on Tuesday on the first day of the group stage of Euro 2020. The opportunity for Europe 1 to return to this rivalry, still so strong today.
In this third and final episode, we take stock of the forces involved, line by line.
Manuel Neuer, Kylian Mbappé, Thomas Müller, Antoine Griezmann, Toni Kroos, Karim Benzema… The clash between France and Germany, Tuesday evening for the first group match of the Euro, will not lack stars on the lawn of the Allianz Arena in Munich.
If the Blues are announced as the favorites of the competition, with their title of world champions and a workforce of exceptional quality and density, the Mannschaft advances with many uncertainties, consequences of elimination at the first round of the 2018 World Cup. But the Germans, even if they are no longer scary as they were a few years ago, still have quite a few players in each position.
So who has the better team on paper?
We take stock of the forces involved.
>> Subscribe to our newsletter on the Euro to not miss any of the competition
Guardians
Hugo Lloris and Manuel Neuer are obviously two of the best goalkeepers in the world.
The captain of the Blues may have had a difficult season with his club Tottenham (7th in the Premier League), he remains an indispensable and indisputable framework of the world champions.
Decisive in important moments, able to pull off incredible parades on his line, Lloris has the experience of major events, from the height of his 34 years and 123 selections.
But as strong as it is, it is difficult to place the tricolor goalkeeper in the same caste as Manuel Neuer.
Because do not be mistaken: the goalkeeper of Bayern Munich remains a monster and one of the best in his post.
After the fiasco of the 2018 World Cup, Neuer will be keen to put Germany back on the front of the stage.
He will also find Karim Benzema, seven years after the quarter-final of the 2014 World Cup during which he repelled with an iron fist a powerful shot from the Real striker.
Our opinion: slight Neuer advantage
SERIES
- France-Germany, a European rivalry, episode 2: Löw and Deschamps, crossed destinies
Defenders
This is undoubtedly the line where there is the least debate. France has one, if not the best defense in the world today. The Hernandez-Kimpembe-Varane-Pavard quartet, which has been breaking in in recent months, exudes impressive strength and serenity. So yes, the French defense is not unbeatable, but the German attackers will have a lot to do to take it in default.
The German rearguard, on the contrary, has shown serious flaws in recent months.
It is even the weak link of the Mannschaft, as evidenced by the slap received in Spain last November (6-0) in the League of Nations.
Joachim Löw has rectified the situation in the last matches by betting on a three-way defense made up of Ginter (Mönchengladbach), Rüdiger (Chelsea) and Hummels (Dortmund), recalled for the Euro after being sidelined since elimination at the 2018 World Cup Three good defenders but with almost non-existent common experience.
What to give opportunities to the French attackers.
Our opinion: France advantage
>> Listen to Europe 1 Football Club in replay and podcast here
Environments
There is a match. The Blues should line up a three-way midfield during the Euro, with the tireless and exceptional Kanté in sentry, perhaps the best current midfielder in the world. The fresh European champion with Chelsea will be accompanied by Pogba, who returns to a very good level, and either Rabiot or Tolisso. But the battle promises to be intense against the midst of Germany.
Joachim Löw, who should adopt a 3-4-3 system, will therefore align four players in this very essential sector.
First of all, there will be two "pistons", two lane players responsible for both defending and attacking: Kimmich (Bayern), able to evolve in almost all positions in the middle while keeping a very high level, thus than Goosens, excellent with Atalanta Bergamo.
In the absence of Goretzka (Bayern, injured), the pair of central midfielders should be made up of Kroos (Real) and Gündogan (Manchester City).
Very high level, certainly.
Our opinion: slight advantage France
SERIES
- France-Germany, a European rivalry, episode 1: Euro 2016, the Vélodrome in fusion
Forwards
Yes, the attack of the Blues has no equivalent in the world at the moment ... at least on paper. Because the magical trio Benzema-Mbappé-Griezmann, which has something to scare any team, currently only has a few weeks of training and two friendly matches in common. Will they be able to perform immediately? That is the whole question, but the world champions have an impressive reservoir, with Giroud, Coman, Dembélé and Ben Yedder on the bench.
Opposite, the German line of attack also has some great assets.
The return of Thomas Müller, recalled for the Euro after being dismissed for almost three years, reshuffles the cards.
The Bayern striker should start, with young Gnabry (Bayern) and Havertz at his side, scorer with Chelsea in the Champions League final.
The bench does not lack talent either: Werner, the center forward of Chelsea, Sané, the Bayern winger, or even Volland, impressive with Monaco in Ligue 1.
Our opinion: France advantage
Conclusion: France advantage, but…
On paper, it's hard not to put the France team ahead of Germany. But the Germans have a very high quality workforce, a mix of thirty-something stars (Neuer, Müller, Kroos ...) and young talents with long teeth (Gnabry, Havertz ...), who are coming back after the 2018 World Cup. Munich will certainly not be fun.