Germany coach Joachim Low is expecting a Greece to prove tough competition in Friday’s Euro 2012 quarter final but refutes the claim that Fernando Santos’ will deploy an ultra defensive game plan.
It has been suggested that the Euro 2004 winners will implement a similar strategy to the one that Chelsea used during their Champions League final victory on penalties against Bayern Munich last month
However Low has dismissed any comparisons after stating they won’t be facing “the Chelsea of the Mediterranean” but did warn his players not to take their opponents for granted.
“I have heard a few times that they are the Chelsea of the Mediterranean, but it is not that way,” he said. “Greece play good combination football. Their defence is strong, they are strong in the tackle and defending and countering is in their blood.
“They have been playing that way for years. It was similar or practically the same in 2004 [when they became European champions in Portugal].
“They get written off sometimes, but then they are always there. But anyway, Chelsea play a different football to what we saw in the final or semi-finals of the Champions League.”
Having remained unbeaten the group stage Low also admits the knockout phase is tricky to navigate but is confident his team can handle pressure of being favourites to bag a semi-final spot.
“Logically we are favourites, but we can deal with that,” he said. “But remember – knockout games have their own character so it won’t be the case that the favourite automatically reaches the next round.
“We saw that in the group when Russia were the big favourites and we have all seen what happened. But if we show all of our inner strength and belief, then we are strong enough to beat the Greeks of course. I am convinced we will win.”
Greece coach Santos is aware that his side are the ‘David’ to Germany’s ‘Goliath’ as they prepare to face off against one of the favourites to win the tournament they triumphed in unexpectedly eight years ago.
He wants the current squad to revel in their role as the underdog and believes the success of 2004 should provide an extra boost of motivation ahead of the game in Gdansk.
“If we see it as a David and Goliath task, then this is good for us because we all know that Goliath lost,” Santos said. “They are a big team and usually get to the semi-finals and we are talking about a very consistent nation.
“But I am willing to accept the role of David, just as long as history repeats itself.”
“I would like to seize this opportunity to say what an inspiration for us the 2004 success is,” Santos said. “We showed great resolution and strength and we were written off before that tournament, but we still reached the final and won the cup.
“That should be a source of inspiration for us this time.”
Team News
Jerome Boateng is available for Germany with Joachim Low likely to bring him back into the starting eleven at the expense of Lars Bender despite right back netting the winner against Poland in their final group fixture.
Skipper Giorgos Karagounis and left-back Jose Holebas are suspended for Greece after picking up their second yellows of the tournament against Russia. Sotiris Ninis, Grigoris Makos and Giorgos Fotakis will battle for Karagounis’ spot in midfield while, Georgios Tzavelas had already usurped Holebas in the left-back slot.
Key Players
Bastian Schweinsteiger
Once again the Bayern Munich man has been a leading light for Germany in midfield. When he’s at his best Schweinsteiger is up there with the best in the world and he’s been on another level for die Mannschaft during the tournament displaying his exquisite range of passing and defensive tenacity when he isn’t pinging the ball around and driving at opposition defences.
Soitiris Ninis
The likely candidate to replace captain Giorgos Karagounis in the engine room, it will be Ninis’ job to lead from the front and provide the creative inspiration for Greece. Much will be expected of the Parma man who has failed to live up to his reputation as a goalscoring midfielder but has the opportunity to showcase his undoubted talent against Germany.
Prediction: 3-0
