Ferran Torres scored the first hat-trick of his professional career, helping Spain secure an iconic 6-0 win over Germany in the UEFA Nations League.
Spain showcased a touch of perfection by registering a 6-0 win over Germany to secure a place in the UEFA Nations League Finals. They were simply a class apart, inflicting the biggest competitive defeat for a Germany side, who were completely outclassed for the entirety of the game.
Joachim Low deserves a lot of blame for questionable tactical decisions that saw Timo Werner play out wide while Serge Gnabry operated in a more central role. As such, the visitors failed to muster even a single shot on target, with Spain dominating 70% possession.
It was a great view for Manchester City fans as their summer signing Ferran Torres bagged his first career hat-trick while Rodri scored an important third goal to essentially seal the game inside the first half. It was not an enjoyable night for Ilkay Gundogan, however.
Alvaro Morata and Mikel Oyarzabal scored the remaining two goals, thus completing Germany’s utter humiliation at Estadio de la Cartuja. And here, at The Hard Tackle, we will take a look at both the sides following this memorable match-up this Tuesday.
Spain
Unai Simon: 6/10
Did not have anything to do as Germany failed to muster a single shot on target. Was rattled by Gnabry’s effort during the dying stages of the game, though the effort only hit the post.
Sergi Roberto: 6.5/10
Sergi Roberto’s night was made easy by the Spaniard dominating possession, leading to Germany attackers providing minimal threat going forward.
Sergio Ramos: 6/10
Sergio Ramos, unfortunately, picked up a knock that forced him to get subbed off just before half-time. Not a good sign for the Real Madrid captain, who is already facing an uncertain future at the club.
Sergio Ramos has been forced off with a suspected hamstring injury ? pic.twitter.com/ihFmomv8mk
— Goal (@goal) November 17, 2020
Pau Torres: 7/10
Pau Torres did not have a great deal to do during the defensive phases. However, with Ramos not being at his best, the centre-back stepped up well and marshalled the Spanish backline.
Jose Gaya: 8.5/10
Jose Gaya inflicted quite a damage on the German defence with his forays down the left flank. He was a constant outlet for the home side, notably grabbing two assists.
Rodri: 9/10
A remarkable performance from Rodri, who scored a goal in the 38th minute to triple Spain’s lead. But more importantly, he controlled the midfield with his determination and strength. A vital cog in Spain’s second line of press, providing defensive cover for the backline.
Ferran Torres: 10/10
By far the best performer of the night, Ferran Torres was a menace for the German defence. His dynamic presence and seamless combination play with his teammates was just too much for the opposition while the winger also impressed with his finishing. A well-deserved hat-trick.
Ferran Torres is the first player to score a hat-trick against Germany in a competitive game since Michael Owen in 2001.
*That* night in Munich. pic.twitter.com/0akNOulrd7
— Squawka Football (@Squawka) November 17, 2020
Koke: 7.5/10
Koke’s presence in Spain’s second line of press was key in preventing Germany from enjoying a good passage of play. The Atletico Madrid star was quite a lively figure, helping his team control things in the middle of the park.
Sergio Canales: N/A
Unfortunate to have picked up an early hamstring problem that led to his substitution in the 12th minute.
Dani Olmo: 7/10
Dani Olmo may not have been as influential as Torres, but the RB Leipzig forward did hit the post with an excellent header – an effort that eventually led to Torres’s first goal.
Alvaro Morata: 9/10
Alvaro Morata continues with his excellent run of form with yet another impressive performance. The Spanish number nine showcased his technical prowess by linking up with teammates and making himself quite a creator in the final third. Scored a goal as well to cap off a brilliant performance.
SUBSTITUTES
Fabian Ruiz: 8/10
Replaced the injured Canales early in the game and posed a huge threat to the German defence, particularly with his set-pieces. Two of his corner kicks led to goals.
Eric Garcia: 6.5/10
Replaced Ramos just before half-time and created a relatively solid defensive partnership alongside Torres. They were, however, helped by a solid second line of defence from the Spanish side.
Gerard Moreno: 6/10
Replaced Morata during the final phase of the game, offering a more direct approach in the central attacking role.
Mikel Oyarzabal: 7.5/10
Made an immediate impact after replacing Olmo in the 73rd minute, scoring the sixth goal and adding the final gloss to the scoreline.
Marco Asensio: 6/10
Could not make much of an impact after coming on for Torres during the final phase of the game.
Germany
Manuel Neuer: 6.5/10
Despite conceding six goals, Manuel Neuer was the best performer for the German side. He made numerous saves throughout the game, trying his best to restore his team’s dignity.
This is the first time Manuel Neuer has conceded 6+ goals in a competitive game in his professional career.
Who had this in 2020 bingo? pic.twitter.com/l5E8zFpWz3
— Squawka Football (@Squawka) November 17, 2020
Matthias Ginter: 3/10
Matthias Ginter was always going to be a misfit in the right-back role and it showed as the Borussia Monchengladbach star completely failed to keep up with Spain’s wide attackers.
Niklas Sule: 2/10
It was yet another disappointing display from Niklas Sule, who is having the worst season of his career so far. One would expect much better from the Bayern Munich star.
Robin Koch: 1/10
Robin Koch continues to struggle; not only for Leeds but also for Germany, as the centre-back looked clueless for the majority of the game. Not a good reflection on the state of the German defence.
Philipp Max: 3/10
Philipp Max had a nightmare dealing with Torres on the left flank. A game to forget for the left-back, who isn’t the most defensively astute operator.
Leon Goretzka: 3/10
Leon Goretzka’s struggles without Joshua Kimmich alongside him in central midfield is growing to become quite evident now. The Bayern Munich star provided little to no solidity in the middle of the park.
Toni Kroos: 4/10
Toni Kroos had a dreadful time dealing with the Spanish midfield. His lack of pace meant the Germans became quite ineffective in their second line of press.
Today, Toni Kroos learned 6 different celebrations. Surely he must like one of them.
ⓘ ???????? ??????? ?????? ???? ?? ???? pic.twitter.com/vieGSoGI39
— ????? (@TheSergiWay) November 17, 2020
Ilkay Gundogan: 4/10
Ilkay Gundogan was simply incompetent in dealing with the opposition. And with Spain dominating possession, the Manchester City midfielder had very little opportunity to showcase his quality on the ball.
Leroy Sane: 4/10
Did not provide any sort of threat out wide and was often hurried by the opposing defenders. The Bayern Munich forward failed to take advantage of the marauding Gaya and it does not reflect well, for him or his club.
Serge Gnabry: 5/10
Gnabry came closest to scoring for Germany when his vicious striker hit the post during the dying embers of the game. That was pretty much the highlight of an otherwise uninspiring performance.
Timo Werner: 4/10
The Chelsea attacker struggled to impose his authority in the wider offensive role, often getting bogged down by Roberto. May have been more influential in a central role.
Morata showing Werner some serious levels pic.twitter.com/C4jZFcfR7e
— ًEIIis. (@UtdEIIis) November 17, 2020
SUBSTITUTES
Jonathan Tah: 0/10
A pointless substitution in the second half saw the introduction of Jonathan Tah, whose lack of positional sense and poor decision making were completely exposed by the Spanish attackers. Makes a strong case for being the worst defender in this German side.
Luca Waldschmidt: 4/10
Luca Waldschmidt wasn’t at all effective after coming on for Sane around the hour mark.
Florian Neuhaus: 4/10
Florian Neuhaus’s creativity was pointless as Spain kept dominating the possession.
Benjamin Henrichs: 2/10
Allowed Ginter to feature more centrally but it somehow made things worse. Showcased schoolboy defending that led to Spain’s sixth goal.