History gives France hope for Spain showdown
Friday, June 22, 2012
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• Reigning champions Spain must reverse a historical trend if they are to get past quarter-final opponents France.
• However, since their defeat by France at Germany 2006, Spain have lost only three of 46 competitive UEFA European Championship and World Cup fixtures and won 40 of them.
• The last team to beat Spain at a UEFA European Championship was Portugal in 2004, when a late goal from Nuno Gomes cost Iñaki Sáez's team a place in the quarter-finals.
• France have won only one game in a final tournament since beating Portugal to reach the 2006 World Cup final, against Ukraine on matchday two.