Spain vs Georgia predictions: Hat-trick hero can hurt Crusaders again
- Spain only side at Euro 2024 to win all three group games
- Georgia are the surprise package of the tournament after shocking the Portuguese
- Recommended bet: Alvaro Morata to score
Spain could not have wished for a better start to their European Championship campaign, beating Croatia, Italy and Albania in Group B, without conceding a single goal.
After putting in plucky performances against Turkey and Czech Republic, Georgia pulled off the biggest surprise of the competition with a 2-0 win over Portugal, to make the knockout stages.
Team news
With his side having already won their group, Luis de la Fuente rested 10 starters in the 1-0 win against Albania, with only Aymeric Laporte remaining in his side.
Those rested players will now return refreshed and ready to slot back into Spain’s 4-3-3, with Rodri available again having served a one-match suspension.
Anzor Mekvabishvili is suspended for Georgia, with Watford’s Giorgi Chakvetadze set to retain his place in midfield.
The stats
Spain are both the only team at Euro 2024 to have won all of their group games and the only side to have kept three clean sheets.
Georgia scored in the first half of all three of their matches in Group F.
These two nations were in the same qualifying group for this tournament, with Spain winning 7-1 away and 3-1 away.
Prediction
Spain have a perfect record at this tournament so far and have been rewarded with a last-16 fixture that they would have jumped at pre-tournament.
They have not been so fortunate when it comes to their side of the draw as a whole, with a clash against the hosts Germany likely in the quarter-finals, before a possible semi with one of Portugal, France or Belgium.
Should Spain progress to face such challenges, they should be well-prepared, having beaten heavyweight opposition already in the form of Croatia and Italy, before resting key players against Albania.
Georgia promise to be a useful warm-up act, despite the 10-2 aggregate scoreline between the sides during qualification for Euro 2024.
This game looks set to be tighter, with the Georgians growing in confidence with each match.
Khvicha Kvaratskhelia is a player who can hurt any team in the world and Georges Mikautadze is the unlikely top scorer in the tournament so far, with three goals.
Yet despite the threat that Georgia carry and the remarkable ambition they have shown, compared to many nations with greater resources, it has to be assumed that Spain will have too much quality.
Alvaro Morata will return for Spain, having scored a hat-trick in the 7-1 win back in September and he could make the difference on Sunday.
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