Spain fight back to thrash Georgia and set up mouthwatering Germany clash

There are plenty of sides who might have been shaken here by the shock of going behind to the lowest ranked country in the tournament and the threat of a monumental upset but Spain are no ordinary team, or at least they are not playing like one. A brief scare against Georgia would ultimately prove no more than that. This was a victory that showcased so many of Spain’s attributes: fast, dynamic attacking football, of course, but also calm, patience and character.

Ahead completely against the run of play, Georgia held the lead for 21 minutes before being overwhelmed by a side that are intoxicating blend of youth and experience, pace and poise. What a treat we now have in store in Friday’s quarter-final in Stuttgart: Germany, the tournament hosts, against Spain, the tournament’s best team to date, the one everyone will probably have to beat if they want to win the thing. The subplots are tantalising: Spain’s jet-heeled Nico Williams and 16-year-old wonderkid Lamine Yamal - both magnificent against Georgia - up against Germany’s own young tyros Jamal Musiala and Florian Wirtz. Or how about Rodri v Toni Kroos, midfielders of rare intelligence. What is clear is that Germany are going to have to be good - very good - to see off this lot.

As good as Spain were, that should not detract from the gargantuan effort Georgia put in here. They will return home to a heroes welcome and with stories and tales that will live long in their memories. In Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, they have a genuine star in the making and Napoli a player they may struggle to keep out of the clutches of Paris St-Germain while their goalkeeper, Giorgi Mamardashvili, has been one of the tournament’s outstanding performers. He was superb again here, but then he needed to be.

Trounced 7-1 by Spain in Tbilisi in September, it felt like Georgia were going to again by swatted aside with ease in those brutally one-sided opening exchanges. But Willy Sagnol’s side withstood the siege and, by the 18th minute, in front courtesy of Robin Le Normand’s own goal, the scoreline read 1-0 in their favour, even though they had not managed a shot on target or registered a touch inside the opposition penalty area and had seen only 12 per cent of the ball. Otar Kakabadze crossed from the right after a sweeping Georgia counter and the ball bounced up awkwardly in front of Le Normand and in. Spain could have wobbled at this point, panicked.

Dominant yet somehow down. But this is where Rodri comes into his own. At one point shortly after the half an hour mark, he could be seen urging his team-mates to calm down and keep their heads and it was fitting that he should claim the equaliser with a controlled low finish from the edge of the box, after which Spain never looked back. Williams and Yamal may have wreaked havoc on the flanks but it was Rodri who gave Spain the platform to perform.

“Rodri is a walking computer, a perfect computer who analyses all the moments in a masterful way,” Luis de la Fuente, the Spanish coach, said. “He is the axis of everything we do. He can transmit my orders o every player. He knows exactly what I want from the other players. We are privileged to count on a player like him.”

Georgia would eventually run out of energy and who could blame them when Yamal and Williams are running at you like this but for 45 minutes they gave as good as they got. And what a first half it was: a rich, vivid, pulsating contrast of styles played out against an ear-splitting din. Positions were entrenched from the outset: Spain happy to defend two on two at the back as they committed extreme numbers forward; Georgia defending from the edge of their 18-yard box but with their two brilliant attackers Kvaratskhelia and Georges Mikautadze left upfield as outlets for their dangerous, rapid fire breakaways. The approaches could not have been much different and yet there was beauty and bravery in both of them. Spain’s twin wide threat of Nico Williams and Lamine Yamal was an irresistible combination. But, in Kvaratskhelia, Georgia had a rampaging, relentless presence of their own, the Napoli forward managing the rather unique distinction of looking like a bulldozer and ballerina rolled into one.

If Georgia could have held on to half-time, Spain may have got a little more concerned but the goal came at double the cost with them also losing their influential midfielder Otar Kiteishvili to injury in the process.

Williams and Yamal were simply unplayable after the restart. Yamal teed up the second with one of those gorgeously clipped crosses from the inside right channel that Fabian Ruiz headed in from just inside the six-yard box. Ruiz then turned provider for the third when he sent a raking pass from deep in behind for Williams. One on one against Giorgi Gvelesiani, the Georgia defender stood no chance and was beaten for pace before the Athletic Bilbao flyer rifled a fine into the top of the net. Substitute Dani Olmo claimed the fourth.

Roll on Friday.

Spain fight back to beat Georgia: As it happened...

10:37 PM BST

Final: Spain show their class

A game effort from Georgia, whose counter-attacking strategy landed a superb early blow but Spain, in truth, didn’t look overly rattled and class told in the end. Compared to England’s wretched efforts earlier, the Spanish guys look in a totally different league - but they are also in a different half of the draw, and England can dodge all but one of Spain, Germany, France and Portugal en route to a final that they hardly deserve. But that’s tournament football, right? Thanks for following and goodnight,

10:16 PM BST

Sam Dean’s audio verdict

09:53 PM BST

Full time: Spain 4 Georgia 1

Spain continue to torment Georgia, but there’s no further damage and the ref calls it a day.

It sets up a top class quarter final with Germany, probably the best two teams in the tournament so far. Good news for their rivals that one of them is going out. Spain very impressive tonight, Georgia with the equivalent of a haymaker early on but Spain beat the count and then really put the match to bed.

09:42 PM BST

GOAL! Spain 4 Georgia 1 (Dani Olmo 83)

Lovely bit of control by  Dani Olmo as he gets the ball on the edge of the box, shifts it and fires home.

Little bit harsh on Georgia, scoreline-wise, but Spain have been too good.

09:41 PM BST

80 mins: Spain 3 Georgia 1

Yamal has shown great movement and vision twice in a row there but cannot find the shot to match.

09:40 PM BST

77 mins: Spain 3 Georgia 1

Sam Dean: “Georgia centre-back Giorgi Chakvetadze just found himself in a situation that no defender on the planet would want to be in: backtracking, in his own half, one-versus-one with Nico Williams. The Spain winger has been perhaps this tournament’s most exciting forward and he was merciless there. See ya later. Roof of the net. Game over.”

09:35 PM BST

GOAL! Spain 3 Georgia 1 (Williams 75)

Williams! I was just going to type that Spain have not yet put Georgia away. The Georgians have a decent attack, but they lose the ball and here is Williams with an electric break. Gvelesiani desperately tries to get back but Williams beats him all ends up. Smashes the ball home at the near post and that, you have to think, is buenas noches.

09:33 PM BST

73 mins: Spain 2 Georgia 1

Yamal with a darting wee run that sees him cross and hit a defender for an OG... but the offside flag has intervened.

09:30 PM BST

68 mins: Spain 2 Georgia 1

Mikel Oyarzabal and Álex Grimaldo on for Cucurella and Morata.

09:28 PM BST

67 mins: Spain 2 Georgia 1

Was that the moment? Here’s what Georgia have been waiting for. Tsitaishvili the man who breaks down the left but he smacks his shot into the side netting.

09:24 PM BST

60 mins: Spain 2 Georgia 1

Pace of the game has slowed a lot since the Spain second. La Roja now circling, taking their time, choosing the moment to finish off the wounded opponent.

Georgia perhaps just clinging on and hoping to spring one more counter.

09:12 PM BST

‘Keeper?’

Georgia goalkeeper Giorgi Mamardashvili has been magnificent in this tournament, and in this match, but should he not have come for that cross for the second Spain goal? Ruiz heads it about one yard from goal. Perhaps I’m being harsh.

09:11 PM BST

GOAL! Spain 2 Georgia 1 (Fabian Ruiz 51)

Pedri fouled. Spain have a central freekick, hard shot at goal, wall does its job. But Spain keep the move alive.  Lamine Yamal delivers a super ball into the box, Fabian Ruiz rises and heads it home, unstoppably.

Pedri, incidentally, was hurt by that foul and is going off.

09:08 PM BST

49 mins: Spain 1 Georgia 1

Georgia certainly have a method! They are defending for their lives and now breaking once again. It’s slotted forward to Kvaratskhelia, who sees Unai Simon is well out of the area, no doubt some sort of sweeper keeper tomfoolery. He wallops it at goal from 45 yards and misses by two feet. Close!

09:05 PM BST

46 mins: Spain 1 Georgia 1

Here are the first half passing stats, says Sam Dean: “Successful passes by Georgia: 82. Successful passes by Spain: 370”

08:50 PM BST

Half time: Spain 1 Georgia 1

You would not describe this as the most tactically advanced game of football but Georgia are doing something which very few teams try these days: two up front.

They are effectively leaving the two strikers quite high up the pitch at all times. It’s a risky strategy as it allows Spain to have more space in midfield, but it also means that Georgia are able to counter-attack at pace. A few times in this first half, it has been two against two when Georgia have surged forward.

The key question is whether Georgia’s defence can survive for much longer with the game as it is... Spain are back in full control as we go into half-time.

08:48 PM BST

45+ mins: Spain 1 Georgia 1

Two minutes added time fit the pattern of the previous 45, with Spain dominating and Georgia defending. Spain have, I think, their ninth corner. But it is cleared and that is the half.

08:47 PM BST

45 mins: Spain 1 Georgia 1

Morata is booked for a sore foul on Lochoshvili.

08:43 PM BST

40 mins: Spain 1 Georgia 1

Kiteishvili got hurt in that move and is coming off in favour of Altunashvili

08:40 PM BST

GOAL! Spain 1 Georgia 1 (Rodri 39)

Williams again allowed time, Spain as a whole given too much space in the final third. Played into Rodri, who picks his spot in the corner. No chance keeper. Morata was well offside but the ref decided he wasn’t impeding the keeper’s vision.

08:39 PM BST

37 mins: Spain 0 Georgia 1

Georgia with another good attack but this time it’s Spain who break and Williams, who has been a) excellent and b) given far too much space, works the keeper.

Sam Dean: “Rodri is calling for calm in the Spanish midfield, which says it all. Georgia are visibly growing in belief and confidence with every passing minute, and there’s a beautiful roar of excitement every time Khvicha Kvaratskhelia gets on the ball.  They are fighting for every ball as if it was the 95th minute. Everyone is sprinting everywhere, limbs and hair all over the place. It’s fantastically chaotic and Spain look more than a little rattled. They have started taking ambitious shots from range.”

08:36 PM BST

35 mins: Spain 0 Georgia 1

Cucurella with a good hard low effort from distance.  Giorgi Mamardashvili in the Georgia goal stops it.

08:34 PM BST

33 mins: Spain 0 Georgia 1

Kvaratskhelia with a terrific break and run. He wins a corner. Nothing comes of it.

08:34 PM BST

32 mins: Spain 0 Georgia 1

Le Normand’s night nearly got even worse when Mikautadze rushed past him in the SPain area and hit the deck. Clear dive.

08:31 PM BST

Sums it up!

08:28 PM BST

27 mins: Spain 0 Georgia 1

Spain, it should be said, looking fairly unbothered about conceding and they are still giving Georgia a real examination.

08:26 PM BST

Suffering

Andros Townsend is doing the ITV analysis: “I said they would need to perfect going forward and they were here.

Not much to aim at for Kakabadze, he whips it into a dangerous area and Le Normand can’t leave it.

That makes 18 minutes of suffering worth it. Trust me.”

08:24 PM BST

Unbelievable

Unbelievable. Georgia have had 12 per cent of the ball. They had barely left their own half. They’ve still not had a shot or touched the ball in the Spain penalty area.

The noise in Cologne, where Georgia supporters outnumber the Spanish, is remarkable.

08:22 PM BST

19 mins: Spain 0 Georgia 1

Just a terrific breakaway.

08:19 PM BST

GOAL! Spain 0 Georgia 1 (Le Normand OG 18)

GEORGIA HAVE SCORED WITH THEIR FIRST ATTACK!!!!!!

Absolute scenes. Magnificent. First time they have been over the halfway line. It’s a superb raking cross from Kakabadze, and it’s hit the Spanish defender Le Normand and gone in!!!

08:17 PM BST

16 mins: Spain 0 Georgia 0

Spain have another corner and Aymeric Laporte heads wide.

08:16 PM BST

14 mins: Spain 0 Georgia 0

Giorgi Kochorashvili and Robin Le Normand clash heads. Ouch. Both okay.

08:12 PM BST

12 mins: Spain 0 Georgia 0

Yamal pulling strings. Spain relentless. Slotted across to Williams, who has a shot deflected behind for a corner. Georgia defend it well.

08:11 PM BST

10 mins: Spain 0 Georgia 0

Spain have a corner. They overload the near post, panic stations, and it’s Kashia who hacks behind. Oh captain my captain.

Here is Sam Dean: “Six minutes played and Spain have had more than 90 (ninety) per cent of the ball. It took three minutes and 45 seconds for the ball to leave Georgia’s half. This is going to require one of the all-time defensive performances if Georgia are going to stay in the game.”

08:05 PM BST

4 mins: Spain 0 Georgia 0

Warning signs already there for Georgia. Good hard low cross from Dani Carvajal. That’s a dangerous attack on each flank so far. Yamal started the move off and Pedri the man who couldn’t direct the shot.

08:05 PM BST

3 mins: Spain 0 Georgia 0

Kochorashvili and Morata tangle. The former has a little rest on the grass.

08:02 PM BST

1 mins: Spain 0 Georgia 0

Williams gets down the left flank and slings in a dangerous cross looking for Morata, who is well marshalled.

08:00 PM BST

Spain

in red, will kick off.

07:55 PM BST

Who do you fancy?

Can Georgia make a game of it? Spain have been the only unequivocally dominant side in the tournament so far, so far.

Who do you think will win?

07:43 PM BST

Lamine Yamal

is in the starting XI. A fun bit of business in the lead-up to this about whether he’d be allowed to play, because German labour laws prohibit kids working after 8pm!

07:42 PM BST

Slovakia

will be kicking themselves, England were there for the taking. Still, Gareth and co march/stagger onwards.

07:33 PM BST

‘A clash of styles, a low block’

Spain have reverted, as expected, to the same team that took Italy apart while Georgia are unchanged from their famous 2-0 victory over Portugal. Expect a clash of styles, with Georgia getting men behind the ball and looking to hit on the counter.

Spain will dominate possession but may find there’s less space to exploit in behind against a likely low block. Only Latvia in 2004 faced more shots in a group stage Euros than Georgia’s 71 but their goalkeeper Giorgi Mamardashvili has been outstanding in Germany. His country may need another big performance from him here in Cologne.

07:20 PM BST

The Georgia lads

07:03 PM BST

More from James on the Georgians

For Watford’s Giorgi Chakvetadze, it has been quite the ride and a moment that will resonate whatever he goes on to achieve in his career.

But the Georgia midfielder has also been drawing inspiration from a less obvious source as the tournament’s lowest ranked side continue to confound expectations.

Chakvetadze has a keen interest in French philosophy, and in particular the work of Albert Camus, and credits the author and Nobel Prize winner with helping him to make sense of his football journey and keep his feet on the ground, which is handy given the current frenzy around Georgia’s exploits.

“Camus’ writings resonate with me on many levels,” said Chakvetadze, whose favourite Camus work is his 1942 novel The Stranger. “His exploration of human existence and the absurdity of life provides a unique lens through which I view my experiences on and off the pitch. It helps me stay grounded and thoughtful about my journey.”

When Georgia take on Spain, doubtless hoping things turn out better than they did in September when an Alvaro Morata hat-trick inspired Luis de la Fuente’s side to a 7-1 win, Chakvetadze will have an especially interested observer back in England.

Watford’s manager Tom Cleverley has been quietly rooting for his talented young midfielder, whose energetic performance in behind Georgia’s electric front two of Georges Mikautadze and Khvicha Kvaratskhelia proved a key component in that famous victory over Portugal.

“He’s one of those footballers’ footballers,” Cleverley tells Telegraph Sport. “He’s maybe not yet had the recognition of how good he is because of his numbers in front of goal but inside the dressing room he’s well respected and now it’s my job and his to really unlock all the potential in him that we see on a daily basis and hopefully the world are seeing in the tournament.”

Chakvetadze’s loan to Watford from Gent was made permanent in February, six weeks before Cleverley took over as head coach, initially on an interim basis before it was later made permanent, and the Georgia star is one of those he intends to build a team around next season. A Premier League winner with Manchester United, Cleverley sees a little of his former Old Trafford team-mate, Shinji Kagawa, in Chakvetadze.

“He’s very comfortable receiving the ball in tight areas,” Cleverley explains. “He’s one of those players who has great balance and seems as quick running with the ball as he is without it. He’s a willing worker and very highly thought of at Watford as he is with his country.

“He’s one of the players we’ll be building our team around next season. Hopefully he continues to show good form this summer and brings that back to his club.

“He’s got good combination play, he’s clever, picks up good positions in pockets. A lot of teams like to create this box in midfield with two 6s and two 10s and, for me, he’s one of the two 10s.

“I want to see him score and assist more goals and be a bit more direct around the box to take him to the next level but if I could compare him to a player I played with he’s got a bit of Shinji Kagawa about him.”

Although Chakvetadze has eight goals in 27 appearances for Georgia, he only got on the scoresheet once for Watford last season and that is the area of his game Cleverley will target to improve.

“When you can see a player is technically good and can finish and those attributes are not being mirrored in the stats then you have to look at yourself as a coach really and ask are you getting him in the right positions to be effective at that end of the pitch,” Cleverley said. “So that’s what we’ll be looking at - how his country has maybe used him a little bit differently to his club. It’s these off season, pre-season moments where I can take the time to do that.”

Cleverley says Chakvetadze’s attitude and application off the pitch stand out. “His levels of professionalism are outstanding,” he said.

“You can see his intelligence in the way he looks after himself. He tries to gain every little percentage off the field with his recovery strategy, gym work, stretching. I think he has an oxygen tank at home, he’s really obsessive about bettering himself. Any stone there he will try to unturn it to be better.

“I didn’t know he’s reading French philosophy! But it doesn’t surprise me he’s trying to improve himself, his mental state or as a general human being. He’s the type of guy who is trying to get everything out of himself. He’s quite inspiring to the group on how professional he is and it didn’t take me long to identify that.”

If anything, Cleverley believes there could be scope for Chakvetadze being a little more selfish on the pitch.

“I was a spectator at QPR away in January and those players who travel with the ball just as quickly as they do without it always impress me,” he said.

“But his willingness to do the ugly side of the game also stood out. I did an individual meeting with him and showed him some clips that illustrated what a good team player he is but how he sacrifices himself too much for the team at times at the expense of his numbers at the other end of the pitch.

“There’s a lot to like about him. Tracking back, putting tackles in, putting his body on the line, he’s not afraid to work hard.”

And perhaps soon to be in line for another huge bonus and the lifelong gratitude of the Georgian people.

06:59 PM BST

Teams

Spain: Simon, Carvajal, Le Normand, Laporte, Cucurella, Gonzalez, Rodri, Fabian, Yamal, Morata, Williams. Subs: Raya, Nacho, Vivian, Merino, Joselu, Olmo, Torres, Grimaldo, Remiro, Baena, Zubimendi, Oyarzabal, Jesus Navas, Lopez, Perez.

Georgia: Mamardashvili, Kakabadze, Gvelesiani, Kashia, Dvali, Lochoshvili, Chakvetadze, Kiteishvili, Kochorashvili, Mikautadze, Kvaratskhelia. Subs: Loria, Kvirkvelia, Zivzivadze, Davitashvili, Kvilitaia, Gugeshashvili, Gocholeishvili, Kvekveskiri, Altunashvili, Shengelia, Tsitaishvili, Lobjanidze, Tabidze, Sigua.

Referee: Francois Letexier (France)

06:54 PM BST

Hopefully

we can all enjoy this match more than the England game. If you want to follow the last knockings/inquest glorious comeback leading to certain tournament victory of that then be my guest.

England vs Slovakia live blog.

06:32 PM BST

James Ducker sets the scene

Georgia’s players, having already secured an £8.5 million bonus for reaching the last 16 in their first major tournament as an independent nation, have been promised a similar pay-out should they beat Spain in Cologne this evening.

The country’s billionaire former Prime Minister, Bidzina Ivanishvili, is offering the squad an opportunity to double their money if they pull off one of the greatest upsets in international tournament history.

Financial windfalls aside, Georgia’s footballers have also been motivated by the knowledge that their escapades in Germany are having something of a healing power back home at a time when the country is in the midst of huge political tension and division.

A controversial new law has effectively declared certain groups who speak out against the government as enemies of the state but, amid the protests and violence, Wednesday’s remarkable 2-0 victory over Portugal that set up the clash with Spain had a unifying effect as supporters celebrated wildly on the streets of Tbilisi.

They’ll get a shot at doing that from 8pm this evening and we will have the team news an hour before that. It would be one of the great upsets if the Georgian lads can pull this off. They are as big as 16/1 to win in 90 minutes.