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On Thursday evening, Luxembourg's men's football team will face Georgia in the Nations League playoffs in Tbilisi, battling for a place in the final.
The winner will play either Greece or Kazakhstan on 26 March, competing for a spot in the European Championships in Germany this summer.
Who are Luxembourg's opponents?
Georgia has around 3.7 million inhabitants and covers an area of 57,215 km². The country borders Russia, Turkey, Armenia and Azerbaijan.
The country boasts a rich cultural heritage that is reflected in its cuisine, music, dance, art, and tradition.
Georgia is one of the oldest wine-producing regions in the world, with evidence of winemaking dating back thousands of years. Georgian wines are known for their unique production methods, such as fermenting grapes in large clay vessels called "qvevri." Wine plays a central role in Georgian culture and is often enjoyed during meals and celebrations.
Georgian cuisine is famous for its flavourful dishes, which often feature a combination of fresh herbs, spices, nuts, and fruits. One iconic dish is "khinkali," a type of dumpling filled with spiced meat or cheese, which was recently sampled by an RTL Today editor upon visiting Georgia a couple of weeks ago.
In general Georgians are known for their hospitality and warmth towards guests. It is common for visitors to be welcomed with traditional bread and salt, and guests are often treated to generous feasts with an abundance of food and wine.
Football is one of Georgia's most popular sports, with Luxembourg playing their to-date most important game this Thursday.
Neither Georgia nor Luxembourg have ever qualified for a European Championship, so Thursday's match represents an historic opportunity for both sides.
Georgia achieved fourth place in their qualification campaign, gathering eight points against their opponents Spain, Scotland, Norway and Cyprus. Their Nations League results were more successful, remaining unbeaten against North Macedonia, Bulgaria and Gibraltar in League C, which meant they were moved up to League B.
SSC Napoli player Khvicha Kvaratskhelia is one of the Georgian squad's most prominent names, worth around 80 million euros and considered one of the world's best. However, he will not be facing the Red Lions this week due to a suspension, after receiving his third yellow card in the last qualifier against Spain.
Besides Kvaratskhelia, the Georgia side also features familiar faces such as Valencia's Giorgi Mamardashvili in goal, or FC Metz' Georges Mikautadze and Watford's Giorgi Chakvetadze. The remainder of the squad is largely on a similar level to that of Luxembourg.
The coaching staff are headed up by France's Willy Sagnol, as the former French international and Bayern player has coached Georgia's national team since February 2021. He has achieved 14 victories, two draws and 12 defeats out of 31 games.
