France vs. Germany Preview
Where: Stade Velodrome – Marseille, France
When: Thursday, July 7, 3:00 PM ET
Line: France +151 vs. Germany +175, tie +187; total: 2.0 – view all Euro 2016 lines
TV Broadcast: ESPN
Writer’s Pick: Germany
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Offensive Edge – France (+151)
Germany at full strength has the talent to match France, but Die Mannschaft will be without main striker Mario Gomez for the remainder of the Euros after suffering a hamstring injury against Italy. That position has been a problem for manager Joachim Low. Mario Gotze struggled mightily in that position during the first two games. Meanwhile, Thomas Muller and is having a very quiet tournament so far and is still goalless in his career at the Euros.
Defensive Edge – Germany (+175)
Germany will be missing some key pieces on defense. Starting center-back Mats Hummels is suspended, while defensive midfielder Sami Khedira is unlikely to feature after an early injury against Italy. But despite those absentees, they should still have the edge defensively against France. The Germans have capable replacements that can fill the void. They also have a bit more tactical astuteness about them, which is a big reason why they have yet to concede a single goal from open play all tournament long.
On the other side, defense remains the main weakness for the French side. Defensive midfielder N’Golo Kante is back from suspension, but with the 4-2-3-1 formation working so well against Iceland, manager Didier Deschamps could be unlikely to revert to the 4-3-3 and accommodate Kante. The unexperienced Samuel Umtiti, who started in place of the suspended Adil Rami at center-back, could also be a big liability if he retains his place.
Writer’s Prediction: Germany (+175) edges out France, 2-1.
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