🏆 Four questions ahead of the Euro 2022 quarter-finals ❓ | OneFootball

We’re at the business end of Euro 2022.

Here are four things we are asking ourselves ahead of this week’s quarter-finals.

Can Spain stop Beth Mead?

You could probably swap out ‘Spain’ for ‘anyone’ in that question and still struggle to come up with a convincing answer.

The England forward has scored five goals and produced three assists in her 254 minutes so far this summer, directly contributing to more than half of the Lionesses’ 14 group stage goals.

Jorge Vilda will know keeping the Arsenal forward quiet will only be one part of a mountain of a task ahead of his side but cutting off the supply to her would certainly help.

La Roja’s issues could come at the other end as well. The 1-0 win over Denmark played out in all too familiar way: lots of possession and probing but a lack of a cutting edge before Marta Cardona’s 90th-minute winner.

Spain will have to improve in both boxes and keep Mead quiet if they are going to spring a surprise against the hosts.

Can Austria cause another upset?

Norway were hurting and vulnerable after the 8-0 drubbing to England but for them to not get out of the group at all was still eye-opening.

Ada Hegerberg and co. are heading home because Austria played their final group game encounter to a tee. They never once looked like losing to the Norwegians.

They are going to have produce something similar and then some if they are going to pull off another shock and overcome Germany.

Martina Voss-Tecklenburg’s team came through the group with an 100% record without conceding a goal, and looked particularly fluid going forward last time out against Finland.

With forward Lea Schüller likely to be back in contention after recovering from COVID, Austria’s challenge could get even harder. But they have been organised and stubborn so far. Can they frustrate the Germans and pull off the biggest surprise of the tournament to date?

Have Sweden joined the party?

Sweden came into the tournament billed as one of the favourites considering their second-placed position in FIFA’s world rankings.

An opening game draw with the Netherlands was followed by only just squeezing past Switzerland which raised some doubts over their capabilities to go all the way.

But there is always one team that starts a tournament slow before peaking late on and the Swedes could well be about to take on that mantle.

The 5-0 win over Portugal to secure their place in the quarter-finals was the perfect showing of teeth, now it’s time for them to prove if they have the bite against Belgium.

Which huge nation will he heading home?

It’s a shame that the standout tie of the quarter-finals will be taking place without two of the best players at the tournament.

Marie-Antoinette Katoto’s ACL injury put an end to her Euros while Netherlands will be missing Lieke Martins as she was ruled out through a foot problem.

The holders have not really got going, only sealing their quarter-final spot with late goals against a depleted Switzerland, and the return of Vivianne Miedema from COVID cannot come soon enough for the Dutch.

While the French made everyone sit up and take notice with their 5-1 thrashing of Italy on matchday one, they have slowed down since then.

This more than any of the other ties could go either way, but some big names will be packing their bags come Saturday.

Which of the powerhouses will be progressing to the final four, and which is going to be heading home?