Spain v Georgia LIVE: Starting line-ups as Morata and Yamal lead La Roja in Euro 2024 last-16 tie

Georgia will no doubt put in a lively, spirited display, but Spain should have far too much quality and nous for the tournament’s lowest-ranked side. Spain 3-0 Georgia.

Georgia XI: Mamardashvili; Lochoshvili, Dvali, Kashia, Gvelesiani, Kakabadze; Kochorashvili, Kiteishvili, Chakvetadze; Kvaratskhelia, Mikautadze.

As Khvicha Kvaratskhelia attempted to put words to what he’d helped create, with so much joyous feeling swirling around his brain, his thoughts ultimately went to the only place they could. “I’d love to see what’s happening in Tbilisi,” the Georgia playmaker said.

It’s a nice line, of a type that can be said about many smaller countries enjoying a first national moment. Those who attend the tournament actually miss it, because the real event is back home: the parties, the elation. Granted, the thousands of raucous Georgians who made the pilgrimage to Gelsenkirchen for this historic 2-0 win over Portugal won’t be feeling like that, especially after their victorious team insisted on a celebratory photo in front of them.

While Kvaratshkelia and his teammates will now be watching videos from back home, everyone else should want to watch them. That doesn’t just apply to their elated countrymen.

On Sunday, Georgia will meet Spain, probably the team of the tournament so far. The Spanish, however, will be facing the story of the tournament so far.

Three wins from three and impressive across the board, Spain weren’t just the only nation to pick up the maximum nine points in the group stage at Euro 2024, they were also the only nation to get through those first three fixtures without conceding a single goal.

There’s little doubt that Luis de la Fuente’s team have been one of the most, perhaps the most, impressive early performers at the tournament and that they’ve quickly marked themselves out as the team to beat, but they will now also be looking at their route to the final and acknowledging it’s going to be an extremely tough one.

First, it’s Georgia. The finals debutants have enthralled and enraptured with their gutsy showings, aggressive defensive work and adventurous counter-attacks, have the breakout star of the tournament so far and produced a display of real quality to beat Portugal last time out and book their last-16 spot. Beat them and Spain will potentially face the hosts, Germany; then if that hurdle is navigated it could be the World Cup finalists in France.

As far as runs go it’s a monster one with extremely varied challenges to overcome, but Spain’s defensive resolve shown in the groups gives them as much cause for optimism as their overall performances should.

There remains perhaps a single question mark over La Roja though, and it’s both a big one and a highly relevant one to their very first task of beating Georgia: that possible lack of clinical edge, and whether it’s to again be a defining trait of their tourmament, as it has before.

Spain’s confirmed starting line-up:

Simon; Carvajal, Le Normand, Laporte, Cucurella, Rodri, Ruiz, Pedri, Yamal, Morata, Williams.

Spain XI: Simon; Carvajal, Laporte, Le Normand, Cucurella; Pedri, Rodri, Ruiz; Yamal, Morata, Williams.

Georgia XI: Mamardahvili; Kakabadze, Kverkvelia, Kashia, Dvali, Lochoshvili; Chakvetadze, Kiteishvili, Kochorashvili; Mikautadze, Kvaratskhelia.

The fans are arriving now, still two hours ahead of kick-off, and just beginning to generate at atmopshere of excitement.

These Georgia fans inside the concourse are hopeful of another big performance from their team…

…while Spain have a number gathering in one of the lower tiers, with still huge numbers outside the stadium taking photos, posing with a replica trophy (of sorts!) and singing in groups.