COLOGNE, Germany -- Spain coach Luis de la Fuente lauded the role of Rodri as his side came from behind to beat Georgia 4-1 and set up a mouthwatering Euro 2024 quarterfinal against hosts Germany in Stuttgart on Friday.

Midfielder is as close to a footballing certainty as you can get, ensuring Luis de la Fuente’s side broke Georgia’s hearts Nothing in football is certain, but Rodri is perhaps as close as it’s possible to get. There are times when it seems he is the teacher stepping in to a kids’ game to make sure it doesn’t become too one-sided, the grown-up who doesn’t have to bother with the things like running. He just strolls about, delivering accurate pass after accurate pass and, occasionally, scoring vital goals. This was Rodri’s 89th game since Manchester City lost 1-0 at Tottenham in the Premier League on 5 February 2023. Since then he has lost only twice. If you take out games in which Scott McTominay was on the opposing side, he hasn’t lost at all. Quite why McTominay should be his kryptonite is unclear, but rivals should as a matter of urgency isolate whatever the active component is and start trying to manufacture it synthetically. Until Georgia’s legs went in the second half, they were excellent on Sunday but for that one vital absence: they lacked a McTominay. Continue reading...

Updates from the last 16 match in Cologne (5pm BST)Power rankings: verdicts on the 24 group-stage teamsOur Golden Boot interactive | Get in touch! Email Sarah Spain v Georgia prediction Spain have probably been the best team of the tournament so far, Georgia the most fun. There was scepticism about Luis de la Fuente when he was appointed Spain manager but he seems to have achieved the remarkable feat of changing a football culture. Since winning the Euros in 2012, their third tournament in a row, Spanish football has remained technically brilliant, but too often their possession game seemed a little purposeless. In this tournament, though, thanks largely to the two wingers, Nico Williams and Lamine Yamal, they have been much more direct and, seemingly, much more dangerous – although they did somehow only beat Italy 1-0 despite overwhelming domination. Continue reading...

Previewing in-form Spain's last 16 with clash with surprise package Georgia at Euro 2016.

Predicting how Spain could line up for their Euro 2024 round of 16 clash against Georgia.