As the countdown to the first game began in earnest, Jan Kozak’s Slovakia side travelled to Augsburg to face Joachim Löw’s Germany in their penultimate preparatory friendly. The odds were stacked against them, but the result must have been the last thing on Kozak’s list of priorities that night. Come the end of 90 minutes though, a Marek Hamsik-inspired Slovakia had run the world champions ragged and stunned the football world alike.
Fast forward a month and the two teams are set to face off again at Lille’s Stade Pierre-Mauroy in a round-of-16 clash of the UEFA Euro 2016. Not much has changed as the Germans remain the firm favourites to seal a quarterfinal berth, Slovakia the underdogs. But the stakes have never been much higher: it’s either boom-or-bust!
In a high-pressure knockout clash, the gulf between the qualities of certain individuals may come to the fore and as such the performance of these 5 players on the night may well determine the outcome:
#1 Thomas Müller
Germany entered the Euros as pre-tournament favourites and were widely expected to coast through the group stages. Though unbeaten, the world champions have struggled to convert their chances. Given their group opponents, the fact that Germany managed just three goals is a worrying stat.
One of the most baffling mysteries is the sharp dip in the performances of Thomas Muller. He arrived in France on the back of his best season yet at Bayern Munich, scoring an impressive 32 goals, leading the German giants to a historic domestic double.
But he is yet to find the back of the net at the Euros, stretching back to the last edition of the Championships in Poland and Ukraine.
Joachim Löw will once again face a major tactical decision: whether to opt for a natural forward in Mario Gomez upfront or continue with the much maligned ‘false nine’ formation with either Muller or Gotze leading the line.
Given Muller’s natural poaching instincts and off-the-ball ability to stretch the defenders, creating space for his team mates to exploit, the Bayern man remains an essential cog to Germany’s success.
#2 Marek Hamsik
Slovakia’s main threat and star-man, without a shadow of doubt, is undoubtedly vice-captain Marek Hamsik. Right from the time he had been a part of the fearsome trio at Napoli alongside Edinson Cavani and Ezequiel Lavezzi, his quality was never questionable.
Against Russia in the group stages, Hamsik produced one of the finest individual performances at this year’s competition: firstly setting up Vladimir Weiss for Slovakia’s opener with a stunning long-range pass from inside his own half, before smashing in a certain goal-of-the-tournament nominee, an absolute bazooka that actually came off a short corner!
Playing in a not-so-familiar deeper midfield role under Kozak, Hamsik plays a pivotal role at both ends of the pitch by making vital interceptions and tackles, strangling the opposition for possession and pushing ahead full throttle whenever any counter-attacking opportunity arises.
Despite a shift to the central midfield, he remains their biggest goal threat and this is testament to the fact that Hamsik’s performances remain critical to Slovakia’s fortunes.
#3 Toni Kroos
Before the tournament began, Germany manager Joachim Low had regarded Toni Kroos as the team’s main man, a point of focus in the team, the one who dictates play. If the three group stage matches are anything to go by, Kroos has certainly lived up to his manager’s billing.
Though Germany are yet to hit top gear, Kroos’ performances so far have been nothing short of excellent. The Real Madrid star has the ability to control the tempo of a game with his exquisite weight and passing range and the expertise to maximise dead-ball opportunities. He is the hub in Low’s Germany and everything goes through him.
Playing in an even deeper central midfield role, Kroos’ defensive contributions cannot be understated in the absence of a specialist holding midfielder, acting as a much needed shield for a relatively young defence. He has always managed to be in ideal positions tracking back and providing cover for both winger Julian Draxler and full-back Hector.
Kroos’ regular communication with his team-mates and a lack of big, loud characters in the side, underlines the importance of his experience and leadership qualities. While Kroos may not be the most eye-catching operator in the German setup, he is certainly the most effective and significant.
#4 Martin Skrtel
Slovakia are unlikely to have much possession of the ball given the Germans’ high-pressing game, and that would mean an increased responsibility on the shoulders of the two centre-backs. Captain Martin Skrtel will have to keep his backline alert and on their toes throughout, as a single mistake could prove fatal against the Germans.
After a difficult last season at Liverpool, owing to poor form and a lack of opportunities under new manager Jurgen Klopp, it was a surprise to watch Skrtel roll back the years in a man-of-the-match performance against England. His clearance off the line to deny Dele Alli was critical to Slovakia claiming a point in Saint-Etienne, enabling them to qualify through as one of the best third-placed teams.
Martin Skrtel will have his hands full against the likes of Muller and Ozil in Lille on Sunday night, but if the Slovaks are to have any chance of upstaging the champions and pulling off an upset, they’ll be hoping for another similar shift from their captain.
#5 Jerome Boateng
In Germany’s final group game against Northern Ireland, Germany defender Jerome Boateng limped off with a calf injury and manager Low will be sweating on the Bayern man’s fitness ahead of this crucial clash. The initial signs have been encouraging though, as Boateng joined his team-mates in a training season on the eve of the match.
Boateng has been crucial for the German defence which is yet to concede a goal in this tournament despite it being a relatively young and inexperienced back-four. He has renewed his World Cup winning partnership with Mats Hummels at the heart of the German’s central defence.
Boateng set the tone with a brilliant athletic clearance off the line in the opener against Ukraine and has only gotten better from there on, putting in some tough shifts and crucial interventions to rescue his team. Who can forget his absolutely stunning crunching tackle on Lewandowski to deny him an important one-on-one chance? Not any time soon.
They will need the defensive prowess which a fit and fighting Boateng adds to the team, if they hope not to replicate the shambolic performance that led to the 3-1 humbling at home at the hands of the Slovaks.
