Leeds United star Archie Gray is the latest player to emerge as a key first-team performer after graduating from the club's academy set-up.

The 17-year-old whiz has started 31 of the club's Championship matches under German head coach Daniel Farke, who arrived in Yorkshire last summer.

A central midfielder naturally, the teenage gem has been the first-choice option at right-back for the former Norwich City tactician after an injury to Djed Spence, who was on loan from Tottenham Hotspur, opened the door for him to come in.

He was given an opportunity to impress by the boss at the start of the season and grasped it with both hands, but not every young talent had that chance during their time at Elland Road.

Tom Cairney started his youth career with the Whites but was released before he could make his senior debut for Leeds, and the talented gem's value went on to skyrocket.

Why Leeds ditched Tom Cairney

The attacking midfielder joined the club's academy as a seven-year-old and played through the age groups until they decided to let him leave in 2017.

He was 16 at the time and stood at just 5 foot 1. His height reportedly played a role in Leeds' decision to release him on a free transfer after nine years at Elland Road.

They seemingly decided that Cairney would not develop, physically and possibly technically, to a level that would see him emerge as a first-team operator in Yorkshire, as he left with zero senior appearances for them.

The Scotland international revealed – later in his career – that he was "crushed" by that exit from the club, given how much time the young whiz spent developing there.

Hull City picked the English-born maestro up for nothing after his release and his market valuation on Transfermarkt came in at €750k (£643k) by August 2010.

Why Tom Cairney's market value soared

The Fulham star currently stands at 6 foot and his growth spurt after moving on from Leeds may have played a part in the impressive career he has forged for himself.

After five goals and 11 assists in 80 appearances during his time with Hull at first-team level, Cairney made the switch to Blackburn Rovers, initially on loan in the summer of 2013 before the deal was made permanent in January 2014.

Fulham, who were in the Championship at the time, then swooped to sign him on a permanent basis in the summer of 2015 after the midfielder had produced nine goals and 16 assists in 85 matches for Rovers.

The impressive magician helped the Cottagers to secure promotion to the Premier League within three seasons, as he plundered 26 goals and 22 assists in 120 games in the second tier.

His 26th league goal during that period was the promotion-winning strike in the 2018 play-off final against Aston Villa, as you can see in the video above.

Fulham's captain stepped up when it mattered most to calmly slot the ball into the bottom corner to send the Cottagers up to the Premier League.

The magical midfielder's best season for goals and assists in his senior career, however, came earlier during the 2016/17 campaign for the London-based outfit.

16/17 Championship

Tom Cairney

Appearances

45

Goals

12

Assists

Ten

Big chances created

Nine

Key passes per game

2.6

Stats via Sofascore

Cairney's fantastic form for Fulham, and play-off final strike, helped his market value on Transfermarkt to skyrocket to a whopping €18m (£15.4m) by August 2018.

This means that his value soared by a staggering 2,300% from the €750k he was once valued at during his breakthrough at first-team level with Hull, after leaving Leeds for nothing.

Therefore, the Whites had a howler when they released Cairney as they did not give him enough time to grow into his body and find his feet, which Hull were prepared to do, and missed out on an excellent performer whose value soared over the subsequent years with no compensation.

Where Cairney is now

He has gone on to play over 300 matches for Fulham, who are currently in the Premier League, and has played more than 100 games in the top-flight.

The 33-year-old has registered four assists in 25 outings in the division this season – at least two more than any Leeds midfielder has managed in the Championship.

23/24 Premier League

Tom Cairney

Appearances

25

Starts

13

Goals

One

Big chances created

Five

Pass accuracy

90%

Duel success rate

61%

Stats via Sofascore

As you can see in the table above, the now-experienced star has been a solid operator for Fulham in the Premier League during the 2023/24 campaign.

The Scottish whiz has been strong in his duels – winning the majority of his physical contests – and offered quality at the top end of the pitch – with goals, assists, and big chances created – whilst being a reliable passer of the ball.

These statistics are particularly impressive for a 33-year-old – possibly heading into the last few years of his playing career – who has not started matches on a consistent basis for Marco Silva's side.

He has been a reliable and excellent performer when called upon by his club, which speaks to both his quality and professionalism to do that at his age in the Premier League.

This and his soaring market value earlier in his career highlights why Leeds had a howler when they decided to release him from their academy at the age of 16.

The left-footed maestro has been pulling the strings in midfield for Fulham for years and starred for Blackburn and Hull previously, in the Premier League and the Championship.

He has gone on to forge a successful career for himself in the top two tiers, which is where Leeds have been operating for the most part over the last 15 years – outside of a spell in League One.

It may be an important lesson for the Whites to learn with young players who are coming through now and possibly being deemed as too small or not physical enough to make it, as they could naturally develop in that sense and then shine as a footballer – as Cairney did.

Bayern Munich winger Leroy Sane has undergone surgery on a groin injury and is set to spend the next few weeks recovering ahead of 2024-25.

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• Sane has successful groin surgery
• Pain flared up at Euro 2024
• Will join Bayern pre-season in late July

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Sane felt discomfort during Germany's Euro 2024 quarter-final against Spain, a recurrence of longstanding pain he had been experiencing during the 2023-24 club season. The decision was then made for the 28-year-old to have surgery before the 2024-25 campaign kicks off.

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  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Sane's operation was minor and has been considered successful, although reported the decision to follow the surgery route was sudden and taken at short notice. He will spend the next three weeks recovering and is set to link up with his Bayern team-mates for pre-season at the end of July.

• WHAT BAYERN MUNICH SAID

  A Bayern statement read: "After the German national team was eliminated from the European Championship, Leroy Sane underwent a minimally invasive procedure on his groin in Munich on Monday. The FC Bayern offensive player had been struggling with pain at the end of the last season. After the successful procedure, the 28-year-old is expected to return to training with the German record champions at the end of July with the other European Championship participants."

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  WHAT NEXT FOR SANE & BAYERN?

  Bayern's Bundesliga campaign will begin on August 23, giving Sane just over three weeks to train and build his fitness once he reports for pre-season with the squad's other Euro 2024 players. Any participation in summer friendlies remains to be seen. After some low key warm-ups in July, Bayern will face Tottenham Hotspur twice in early August – one meeting in Seoul on August 3 and the other in London on August 10.

His focus will be on board matters and he doesn’t want to get involved with on-field issues, Ganguly said

Nagraj Gollapudi16-Oct-2019At home, Virat Kohli’s India have established a dominance that has drawn comparisons with the Australian teams led by Mark Taylor, Steve Waugh and Ricky Ponting, who were almost invincible at home. They have also become one of the best travelling units, especially with their well-rounded bowling attack finding unprecedented success on the road.And yet, this India side is yet to win a global title. And that “big tournament” is what former India captain Sourav Ganguly, who will take charge soon as BCCI president, reckons India need to win.”It [India] is a very good side,” Ganguly said at a media briefing on Tuesday at the Cricket Association of Bengal (CAB) headquarters, housed at Eden Gardens in Kolkata. “My only thing is that they need to win big tournaments. I’m not saying they need to win every time. It’s not possible. But we have gone through seven [five] big tournaments without winning one.”Since MS Dhoni’s India won the 2013 Champions Trophy, India – men and women – have not won any global title at the senior level. India reached the semi-finals in the two men’s ODI World Cups – 2015 and 2019 – as well as the 2016 T20 World Cup, and finished runners-up at the 2014 men’s T20 World Cup and the 2017 Champions Trophy. Alongside, the women lost in the 2017 World Cup final to hosts England, who also beat them in the 2018 T20 World Cup in the semi-finals.”They are a much better side than that,” Ganguly said. “That is the only area where they need to get themselves ready mentally. Talent is enormous, otherwise they couldn’t have played so well in the [2019] World Cup till the semi-finals. So that’s an issue which Virat needs to address. And that doesn’t happen in the boardroom.”ESPNcricinfo LtdGanguly also hinted that he did not want to interfere with the dressing room and on-field issues. “I cannot decide contribute much on the field because (on-field matters must stay on the field).”On Tuesday, Ganguly received a rapturous welcome as he arrived in Kolkata, his hometown, first at the airport and then at the CAB, after he was picked as the unanimous choice by several powerful BCCI members as the sole nominee for the president’s position.Ganguly, only the second cricketer to be a BCCI president since Maharaja of Vizianagaram in 1954, will officially assume the post next week. Ganguly has only about ten months in the job as he will finish six years as an office-bearer next year, following which he will need to undergo a cooling-off period of three years.After filing his nomination on Monday, Ganguly had stressed that the BCCI was in an “emergency” situation.He reiterated that on Tuesday, saying that he would try to find solutions for the ongoing issues with the board. “I am happy to get the responsibility to turn it around. That’s what matters: when it is tough people believe that you are good enough to do it,” Ganguly said. “I am here to do a job for everyone and to make Indian cricket clean administration-wise, to get the backroom ready and going in a smooth one along with all the members of the Apex Council and the board and everyone. That’s my job.”

Sitting outside the European places in the Premier League, Newcastle United look set for a massive summer as the club look to make big moves on and off the pitch. With new signings expected, they could come at the cost of a fan favourite on Tyneside.

Newcastle set for massive changes

As the PIF era continues to bring success to Newcastle, it feels almost inevitable that the club would be ready for a huge shake-up this summer. Looking to pour in some of the investment that had been sorely missed under previous owners, PIF are now setting out to deliver change in all areas of the club.

This week saw ambitious plans revealed plans to explore the feasibility of building a new ground for the club, with journalist Luke Edwards stating that "a new stadium is coming for Newcastle United and it could be the real Wembley of the North".

The imminent departure of football director Dan Ashworth has given PIF more issues to address this summer with the 52-year-old moving to Man United. Changes in the dugout at St James' Park also appear to be on the cards with current boss Eddie Howe's position uncertain and the club lining up potential replacements.

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As far as on field signings are concerned, Newcastle's action in the transfer market will heavily rely upon shifting existing players. Darren Eales, Newcastle’s CEO said back in January that "we have to approach everything on a medium-to-long-term basis, not just being reactive,” Eales says. “We have to be minded due to PSR and FFP rules that we are compliant.”

With outgoings imminent, it appears that one Newcastle star already looks to have one foot out of the door, with Newcastle set for a huge pay day.

Huge star set to leave Newcastle this summer

According to Football Insider's Pete O'Rourke, there is a strong chance that Bruno Guimaraes will bring an end to his time at St James' Park this summer. Sources within the club have told the reporter that the midfielder's departure is a “real possibility” come the end of the season.

O'Rourke states that "the release clause in his contract, the player’s own personal ambitions as well as the financial regulations that Newcastle must circumnavigate behind the scenes", are the reasons behind this news with the Brazilian's sale essential to afford other signings.

Guimaraes has a release clause of £100million that was inserted into his contract when he signed a new deal back in October 2023. Whilst his departure would be a sorry one for Magpies' fans, the windfall provided could see their side make serious improvements in other areas of the pitch.

Since arriving from Lyon in 2022 for a fee of up to £40million, Guimaraes has become a fan favourite on Tyneside, forging a strong partnership with compatriot Joelinton in the middle of the park.

The 26-year-old has shone as a creative tour de force that is not afraid of putting a tackle in. With four goals and three assists already this season, Guimaraes has been crucial in Newcastle's fight for European football.

Assists

0.15

76

Shot-Creating Actions

3.51

85

Tackles

2.32

71

Progressive Passes

7.02

86

Successful Take-ons

1.63

94

Ultimately, the sale of Guimaraes may be the only way that Newcastle can spend this summer without the threat of financial sanctions. If that is the case, at least Newcastle will receive more than a fair deal for him.

Andy Flower has been named as head coach of Maratha Arabians in the upcoming Abu Dhabi T10, days after ending a 12-year association with the ECB.Flower left his role as technical director in the England set-up on Saturday, and had hinted that he was more likely to take up roles on the franchise circuit than return to international cricket. There had been speculation that he would head to the IPL, but this is his first coaching role since leaving the ECB.”I have just come off a tremendous run with English cricket and am now looking ahead to the future with hope,” Flower said.”Anything that is new and is innovative like T10 cricket always has an automatic appeal. From a coaching perspective it presents new challenges to test yourself against in a world-class environment.”Flower departed the ECB after 12 years in the national team set-up. He started out as Peter Moores’ assistant in 2007, before taking over in 2009. His reign saw England win their first men’s ICC world tournament – the 2010 World T20 – as well as away Test series in India and Australia, as England rose to become the ICC’s No.1-ranked Test team. After the 2013-14 Ashes, he took up a role as technical director, which involved overseeing the Lions side.The league also announced that the Arabians had retained captain Dwayne Bravo, along with Lasith Malinga and Afghanistan pair Hazratullah Zazai and Najibullah Zadran. They have also signed Chris Lynn as an ‘icon player’ ahead of Wednesday’s player draft.The Arabians reached the semi-finals last season, finishing fourth after losing to Bengal Tigers in the third-place playoff.The league has moved to Abu Dhabi from Sharjah this season, and starts on November 15.

Ahead of his second summer transfer window in charge of the club, Ange Postecoglou will look to make his mark once more on Tottenham Hotspur, which could see a midfield reinforcement arrive.

Tottenham transfer news

The Lilywhites have already been linked with a number of players ahead of the summer, with Pedro Neto and Jarrard Branthwaite at the forefront of that. Those in north London will hope to take advantage of Everton's financial situation to win the race for Branthwaite's signature. Daniel Levy has, of course, proven his willingness to back Postecoglou since last summer and could do so again in the coming months.

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ByAngus Sinclair Mar 2, 2024

As things stand, Spurs are yet to fully cement their place in the Premier League's top four under the former Celtic boss, with surprise package Aston Villa keeping them and others out. If the north London club end the season without Champions League qualification once more, then the pressure will undoubtedly be on Postecoglou to get the summer transfer window right.

That could include matters on the departure front, too, with the likes of Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg potentially getting a move away having already been linked with departing in the past. If the midfielder is on his way out, then Spurs will need a replacement – and that's where Morten Hjulmand could come in.

According to Portuguese outlet Record (via Sport Witness), Spurs are building towards a move for Hjulmand after scouting the Sporting CP midfielder in the last few weeks. Club officials were reportedly in attendance for Sporting's last game – a Taca de Portugal semi-final clash against Benfica – as Hjulmand played a part in his side's 2-1 victory to take a first-leg lead.

Sporting will reportedly prove to be tough negotiators, however, given that they're currently not interested in selling the 24-year-old amid the prospect of already losing star striker Viktor Gyokeres this summer.

"Leader" Hjulmand can replace Hojbjerg

As one Dane potentially departs, another could arrive at Spurs this summer as the Lilywhites look to replace Hojbjerg. The former Southampton man was linked with a move away in January before failing to seal a departure. Giving Spurs time to find a replacement, they now look likely to turn to Hjulmand, who has proven this season that he is perfectly capable of stepping into his compatriot's boots.

Tackles won

24

13

Interceptions

15

11

Blocks

21

18

Aerial duels won

12

6

What's more, Hjulmand is still just 24 years old and should be on the verge of entering his best years as a midfielder, meaning that there's no better time for Spurs to strike than this summer. It is a rise that Zach Lowy certainly saw coming, having praised the midfielder last year as a fine "leader", posting on X:

That said, as the summer transfer window approaches, Hjulmand will be one to watch with Spurs seemingly building towards their move for the midfielder.

MatériaMais Notícias

O São Paulo vem encarando uma maratona neste mês de maio, com diversos jogos decisivos. Sendo assim, Crespo e sua comissão técnica vem tentando poupar a equipe para ter o time considerado ideal nos duelos mais decisivos.

Melhor ataque do Paulistão: veja como está a artilharia do São Paulo no estadual

Segundo o diretor de futebol do Tricolor, Carlos Belmonte, o São paulo deve escalar uma equipe considerada alternativa contra o Rentistas, nesta quarta-feira (12), às 19h, no Uruguai, pela quarta rodada do Grupo E da Libertadores.

CONFIRA COMO ESTÁ A SITUAÇÃO DO SÃO PAULO NA LIBERTADORES

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– Nós não vamos com o time titular contra o Rentistas e vamos com o time titular contra a Ferroviária e vamos com os titulares, se passarmos, contra o próximo adversário na semifinal. Isso é uma decisão do Crespo e que nós (diretoria), apoiamos totalmente – afirmou o dirigente, em entrevistaao canal ‘Sombra Tricolor’.

O São Paulo vem encarando o Campeonato Paulista como a grande chance de sair da seca de títulos, que dura desde 2012, com a conquista da Copa Sul-Americana. A equipe conquistou a melhor campanha na primeira fase do estadual, com 28 pontos.

Sendo assim, apesar da Libertadores ter mais ‘reconhecimento’ e ser mais importante na questão financeira, o foco está na disputa do Paulistão. A situação confortável do Tricolor no Grupo E da competição continental também explica a situação.

A equipe é a líder da chave, com sete pontos, seguido pelo Racing, com cinco. Logo atrás, vem o Rentistas, com dois pontos e o Sporting Cristal, com apenas um ponto conquistado. Se vencer os uruguaios, o Tricolor praticamente assegura a vaga para às oitavas de final.

واصل النجم المصري عمر مرموش تألقه في الدوري الألماني، بتسجيله هدف التقدم لـ آينتراخت فرانكفورت في شباك باير ليفركوزن خلال المباراة المقامة بينهما اليوم بملعب باي أرينا.

حامل اللقب يستضيف فرانكفورت، الذي يتسلح باللاعب الأفضل في الدوري الألماني هذا الموسم، عمر مرموش.

النجم المصري ظهر في الدقيقة 16، وحصل على ركلة جزاء، بعد محاولة المرور بمهارة رائعة من روبرت أندريتش، ليعود الحكم فيلكس بريش لتقنية الفيديو ويحتسب ركلة جزاء.

الألماني أشار إلى نقطة الجزاء، ليظهر الغضب على وجه واعتراضات تشابي ألونسو، ووسط كل هذا، سجل عمر مرموش ببراعة وبقوة على يمين الحارس لوكاس هارديكي.

هدف مرموش هو التاسع له هذا الموسم في الدوري الألماني، ليعزز صدارته لترتيب الهدافين في البوندزليجا بفارق 4 أهداف عن هاري كين. هدف عمر مرموش في مرمى باير ليفركوزن اليوم

With Sir Jim Ratcliffe and INEOS' investment at Manchester United now confirmed, there will likely be huge changes this summer. Despite a poor start to the season, one man has already caught the eye of the new owners.

Things on the up at Old Trafford

Whilst sitting in sixth place in the Premier League may be below the levels expected of a club of Man United's stature, things finally appear to have turned a corner after a troubling opening to the season.

The early passages of the campaign saw the Red Devils struggle for consistency in the league and drop out of Europe in embarrassing fashion. This poor start was emblematic of what has been a bleak few years at United. Constant battles between fans and ownership have left the team and management attempting to play both sides, usually with very little success.

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Adding insult to injury has been the failure of high-profile signings to hit the ground running. The combined £158million spent on Antony and Jadon Sancho has yielded virtually no return, with the latter now back in Germany and his Brazilian counterpart yet to register a league goal for the Red Devils this season.

Despite this, the horizon appears bright at Old Trafford with six wins from their last seven games in all competitions and marquee signing Rasmus Hojlund scoring seven goals during this period. With Ratcliffe keeping a close eye on the club during the takeover process, it is reported that one individual has already caught the attention of the man now pulling the strings at United.

Ratcliffe impressed by Erik ten Hag

David Ornstein has shared that sources within the new ownership are already heaping praise upon the Red Devils' manager for his work this season. Ratcliffe, whose £1.25billion purchase saw him buy a 27.7% stake in the north west outfit, is eager to implement change at Old Trafford – not least with a new sporting director – but looks set to continue with Erik ten Hag in the dugout.

Since arriving in England in April 2022, the Dutchman has endured a tough time, working to overcome the negative culture both on and off the pitch that had hampered so many of his predecessors. His first season in charge saw the Red Devils finish third whilst also lifting the EFL Cup, their first silverware in six years.

His tenure at Old Trafford has also seen him scoop three manager of the month honours, racking up just shy of two points per game in the process. With a win percentage of over 60%, the Dutchman boasts a higher figure than any of his predecessors in the post-Ferguson era.

Erik ten Hag

97

59

60.82

Ralf Rangnick

29

11

37.93

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer

168

91

54.17

José Mourinho

144

84

58.33

Louis van Gaal

103

54

52.43

David Moyes

51

27

52.94

Despite having a taste of success in England, ten Hag has always felt under immense pressure from both the fans and ownership. Hopefully, this vote of confidence from Ratcliffe and INEOS will be the boost United need to continue their good form and rise up the table.

GOAL ranks the eight teams left in Germany ahead of a weekend of heavyweight quarter-final clashes

And then there were eight. After a round of 16 featuring games of wildly contrasting quality, we're now looking forward to – or perhaps more accurately, hoping for – a weekend of cracking quarter-finals.

Certainly, on paper, some of match-ups are mouth-watering. Germany and Spain's showdown in Stuttgart has the potential to be a classic, but France against Portugal in Hamburg could be just as compelling, even if both sides have yet to find their best form.

On the other (weaker) side of the draw, surprise package Switzerland will be quietly confident of upsetting an England team that is lucky to still be in contention, while the only thing we know we're definitely going to get when Netherlands meet Turkey in Berlin is a brilliant atmosphere.

So, as it stands, which teams are looking like potential champions – and who could be heading home this weekend? GOAL ranks the eight teams left at Euro 2024 below..

Getty8Portugal ⬇️

The Cristiano Ronaldo Show rolls on – but only just. After missing a penalty – and umpteen other chances – during Monday's 0-0 draw with Slovenia, the Seleccao skipper was indebted to goalkeeper Diogo Costa for extending his international career with his history-making heroics in the penalty shootout.

Obviously, a misfiring and overly emotional Ronaldo should be dropped for the quarter-final against France. He's taken more shots than any other player in Germany (20) and yet hasn't a single goal to his famous name. A far more effective forward like Diogo Jota or Goncalo Ramos deserves a chance to lead the line. They won't get it, of course.

Manager Roberto Martinez isn't brave enough to make such a call, meaning Portugal will be once again relying on Ronaldo to roll back the years – or someone like Costa to once again to make up for the captain's now blatant shortcomings. Portugal really do run the risk of allowing Ronaldo to drag them down with him.

Advertisement(C)Getty Images7France ⬆️

France are giving off some serious Greece 2004 vibes in Germany: painfully limited in attack but very strong defensively. The thing is, though, Greece did what they had to do. They weren't blessed with a wonderful array of superstars; so they embraced a horribly negative but extremely effective brand of football to win games.

France have no such excuse. The performances have been pitiful given the quality Didier Deschamps has available to him. Granted, they were the better side against an abysmal Belgium, but they only won the game because of a Jan Vertonghen deflection.

The fact of the matter is that not a single French player has yet scored from open play in Germany. If they don't improve, if they don't figure out how to get Kylian Mbappe and the entire forward line firing, their luck will eventually run out, if not against Portugal, then against either a vastly superior Spain or Germany in the semis.

(C)Getty Images6Turkey ⬆️

To be brutally honest, Turkey didn't remotely deserve to beat Austria and it's a serious shame for the tournament that Ralf Rangnick's tremendously exciting side are out. Credit where it's due, though, Vincenzo Montella's men took advantage of the set-piece chances that came their way and defended for their lives for the remainder of the game.

They'll need to be just as clinical and resilient against the Netherlands in the quarter-finals, but victory is certainly not beyond them. In Arda Guler and Kenan Yildiz, they've a couple of potential match-winners, while Hakan Calhanoglou will be back from suspension in Berlin, where Turkey will once again benefit from an incredible amount of 'home' support.

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Getty Images5Germany ⬇️

There's an undeniable sense of inevitability around Germany right now. Not only have they played very well in patches, with Jamal Musiala particularly effective, fortune is really starting to favour the hosts.

Julian Nagelsmann's men nicked a draw in their final group game thanks to super-sub Niclas Fullkrug before eliminating Denmark in the last 16 thanks to the most marginal offside call you're ever likely to see, and a horribly harsh handball decision.

Obviously, Germany are going to have to take their game to a whole other level against Spain – but in Antonio Rudiger, Ilkay Gundogan and Toni Kroos, they have experienced, world-class players who know exactly what is required to win matches of this enormity. Home advantage should also help their cause, and if Lady Luck smiles on them again, Germany have every chance of going all the way.