Quarter-final: France vs Germany
Venue: Estadio Maracana, Rio de Janeiro
Kick-off: 5pm (1pm, Brazil time)
TV coverage: BBC1, from 4.30pm
Referee: Nestor Pitana, Argentina
Managers:
Didier Deschamps (France)
Joachim Low (Germany)
Key clash: Karim Benzema (France) v Per Mertesacker (Germany)
Benzema is likely to be paired with Antoine Griezmann, who has looked a much more natural partner for the frontman than Olivier Giroud. That should allow him to run at defenders through the middle and while Mertesacker has had an excellent season at Arsenal, Benzema could exploit his lack of pace on the ground.
One to watch: Thomas Muller (Germany)
The attacker has nine World Cup goals to his name in just two tournaments. He will hoping to add to his tally of four at the current tournament to propel his side into the last four.
Head-to-head record: Played 25, France Wins 11, Draws 6, Germany Wins 8
Opta stats:
- There have been 17 goals scored in the three previous World Cup meetings between France and Germany, an average 5.7 goals per game.
- Germany have scored two or more goals in each of those World Cup matches and are unbeaten since their first World Cup clash with France in 1958 (3-6 defeat), winning in the 1982 clash on penalties (3-3) and winning in 1986 (2-0).
- The two sides last met in a friendly in February 2013. France took the lead through a Mathieu Valbuena strike in the first half, before second half goals from Thomas Müller and Sami Khedira secured the victory for Germany.
- Germany have reached the semi-finals of the last three World Cups. No nation has ever made the last four in four successive tournaments.
- Germany are unbeaten in 15 internationals (W10 D5), longer than any other side still involved at the World Cup.
- On the last five occasions that France have progressed past round 1 in the World Cup, they have reached the semi-final stage (1958, 1982, 1986, 1998 and 2006).
- All of France’s goals during this World Cup have come from inside the box (10).
- France have lost only one of their 10 games played on Brazilian soil (W6 D3).
- France are the first team to benefit from two own goals in the same World Cup.
- Les Bleus have hit the woodwork more often than any other team at this World Cup (6), which is the highest tally for a team since Poland and Argentina in 1982 (both 6).
- Thomas Müller (four goals, two assists) has been directly involved in six of Germany’s nine goals (66.7 per cent) at this this World Cup.
- Karim Benzema (19) has fired in 12 more shots than any other French player during this tournament.
• André Schürrle has scored five goals in his last five competitive matches for Germany.
• Miroslav Klose needs one more goal to be the World Cup’s highest scorer. He is currently joint-top with Ronaldo (15 goals).
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