BERLIN: Germany take on fellow title contenders Spain in their mouth-watering Euro 2024 quarter-final clash on Friday, hoping to end a winless run at tournaments against them that stretches back to 1988.

While France and Portugal will hope that their forward lines start firing up in the other quarter-final at the Volksparkstadion in Hamburg later on Friday, where every little advantage will likely be crucial in a tight contest.

Meanwhile, England face Switzerland on Saturday while the Netherlands face a firedup Turkey side in the last quarter-final.

The Germans are enjoying their best international tournament in eight years with home fans desperate for their first title in a decade but their match against the Spaniards is also seen as a premature final between two of the hottest teams in the competition.

Spain cruised through their group with wingers Lamine Yamal, who is the youngest player to feature at a Euros at 16, and Nico Williams quickly establishing a superb partnership that has terrorised opposing defences with their speed and creative play.

With Fabian Ruiz directing their game, often called `possession with a purpose`,there is a constant drive forward instead of merely holding onto the ball.

Their 4-1 victory over Georgia in the round-of-16 confirmed their good form with their fourth win in four matches as they look for a record fourth European title.

The Germans, who have also won the tournament three times, had to dig deep to top their group with a stoppage-time equaliser against Switzerland before their 2-0 knockout stage win over Denmark.

But it is how their defensive organisation copes with Spain`s lethal attacking football that is likely to decide the outcome.

`We should not be hiding against Spain, said captain Ilkay Gundogan. `As a team we can more than keep up with them. We also have extreme qualities.

`I think the Spaniards have more respect for us than they tend to admit in public.

The Germans are also up against a 36-year winless run at tournaments against Spain with their last win dating back to Euro 1988.

They lost the 2010 World Cup semi-final to them as well as the 2008 Euro final while also suffering a 6-0 demolition in the Nations Leaguefouryearsago.

`I don`t want to offend anyone but we havethe best team at this tournament,` said Spain coach Luis de la Fuente. `We are going to fight for it and we know what we have ahead of us, which is Germany. `It is the well-known German machine. It will be a very close match, but we are very confident of our game.

In Friday`s other quarter-final, France and Portugal clash in a third meeting in as many Euro tournaments, this time chasing a semifinal slot against either Germany or Spain in Munich next week.

France have not scored in open play in their last five internationals while Portugal have failed to find the net in their past two outings at Euros, needing the tear-filled trauma of a penalty shootout to win a last eight place.

There is no doubting the quality on both sides, with Kylian Mbappe captaining the French and Cristiano Ronaldo bringing record-breaking achievement to Portugal.

But Mbappe is battling with a broken nose in Germany and at the age of 39 Ronaldo`s powers are on the wane.

It is not as if he has not tried. Ronaldo has taken more shots than any other at Euro 2024 (20 to Mbappes 15) but has not scored in his last eight tournament matches.

Mbappe has a tournament goal to his name, a penalty in his comeback against Poland after breaking his nose in their opening clash with Austria.

France`s other two goals at Euro 2024 have come courtesy of the opposition; own goals from Austria and then Belgium in Monday`s round-of-16 clash in Duesseldorf.

The margins will likely be fine again and the outcome possibly determined by a moment of genius. For that, Portugal are likely to keep Ronaldo in place while French eyes will be firmly fixed on Mbappe finally delivering.

NETHERLANDS FACE TOUGH TEST AGAINST TURKEY On Saturday, Netherlands face Turkey in Berlin aiming for a spot in the semi-finals against England or Switzerland.

A routine 3-0 win for Netherlands over Romania was overshadowed hours later by a tenacious Turkish victory over Austria to set up an enthralling quarter-final.Turkish fans in Germany are in a frenzy at the thought of a repeat of Euro 2008, where they made the semi-finals.`We`ve got huge following. There`s passion and the love is really visceral back home in Turkey, so I`m very happy to have handed Turks a bit of pride,` coach Vincenzo Montella said of his side`s progress so far.

Turkey will be without the suspended Orkun Kokcu and Ismael Yuksek, but they receive a major boost with the return of captain Hakan Calhanoglu who was banned from the Austria game.

Euro 2008 was also the last time the Dutch made the quarter-finals, and they have come through the ignominy of a 3-2 loss to the Austrians that left them third in their group.

`We learned our lessons from the Austria game. We had a lot of conversations last week. I think we did very well, especially in the pressing, especially in ball possession, Dutch defender Denzel Dumfries said.

England will take on in-form Switzerland in Duesseldorf, and the Swiss underlined their credentials by beating defending champions Italy in the last 16.

A couple of weeks ago, England would have relished facing Switzerland -a team they have lost to only three times in their 27meetings and most recently in 1981.

Murat Yakin`s team, however, have played with a consistency and confidence that has eluded England.

Southgate has been criticised for not making many changes to his team but that could be about to change as they practised a back three in training, with Kyle Walker moved to the right of centre three and Bukayo Saka potentially playing as wing-back.

Of concern to Southgate is the fact that defender Marc Guehi, who has been solid on his major tournament debut, is suspended for Saturday`s match, John Stones has been training with his leg heavily bandaged and Luke Shaw has not played since February due to injury.

While England have not played with three at the back since finishing runners-up to Italy at Euro 2020, it would allow Southgate to employ his wing backs higher up the pitch.

Yakin, meanwhile, will rely on the experience of Manchester City`s Manuel Akanji and Newcastle United`s Fabian Schar to anchor the back line, with Granit Xhaka acting as the midfield playmaker.-Agencies