Fiery clashes in the quarter-finals

This is the second time in UEFA Nations League history that Germany and Italy have faced each other, after being in the same group in the 2022-2023 season (Italy drew 1-1 at home and lost 2-5 away).

The German team is currently undefeated in the group stage.

In the group stage, the Italian team lost only one match, a defeat against France, and finished second in Group 2 of League A. Meanwhile, Germany remained undefeated and won Group 3.

Luciano Spalleti's Italian team faces a major challenge in the quarter-finals.

Besides the Germany-Italy match, the clash between defending champions Spain and the Netherlands is also unpredictable. Spain is still showing impressive form after winning EURO 2024. They have the best record in the UEFA Nations League group stage with 5 wins and 1 draw. Furthermore, the Spanish team boasts an unbeaten streak of 16 matches. The Netherlands, while considered the underdog, will certainly find ways to make things difficult for Spain in their quest to defend their title.

Didier Deschamps' French team will face Croatia.

Notably, three of the four quarter-final matches in this season's UEFA Nations League have previously seen the two teams face each other in World Cup finals. Italy defeated Germany in the 1982 World Cup final; Spain beat the Netherlands in the 2010 World Cup; and France defeated Croatia in the 2018 World Cup. In last season's UEFA Nations League, Croatia impressed to reach the final but unfortunately lost on penalties. In their ten previous encounters, Croatia has only won once against France, and that was the most recent match between the two teams in the 2022-2023 UEFA Nations League group stage.

Ronaldo and his teammates in the Portuguese national team face a relatively easy opponent in Denmark.

The other quarter-final match is between Portugal and Denmark. This is considered the easiest spot for Portugal, as Denmark is not in good form this year. This is the first time Portugal and Denmark have met in the knockout round of an official tournament. The Nordic team also has a poor head-to-head record in all competitions, having won only 3, drawn 2, and lost 11 in 16 encounters with Portugal. If they qualify for the semi-finals, Cristiano Ronaldo and his teammates will face the winner of the Germany-Italy match.

UEFA Nations League Quarter-Final Draw Results

The UEFA Nations League quarter-final matches for the 2024-2025 season will be played over two legs, home and away. The first leg of the quarter-finals will take place on March 20, 2025, and the second leg on March 23, 2025. The teams that finished second in their qualifying groups will play at home in the first leg. From the semi-finals onwards, the matches will be single-leg, played on neutral ground, on June 4 and 5, 2025. The final will be held on June 8, 2025.

Source: https://thanhnien.vn/uefa-nations-league-nhung-cuoc-cham-tran-ruc-lua-o-tu-ket-185241122222036318.htm