Friday 18 / October / 2024
EVIAN: The host nation's bulging euphoria over France's Euro 2016 semifinal qualification is added motivation for Germany as they prepare to face them on Thursday, coach Joachim Loew said on Monday.
The Germans, who will need to shuffle their lineup due to injuries to Sami Khedira and Mario Gomez and the suspension of defender Mats Hummels, are preparing to face a team brimming with confidence.
"Such games are just great," Loew, who led Germany to the 2014 World Cup title in Brazil, told reporters.
His team reached the last four after an agonising penalty shootout win over Italy on Saturday.
"It is motivation for us, this euphoria. In Brazil it was similar in the (2014 World Cup) semifinals with a country of 200 million people. But we did it quite well against them."
Germany did much more than that, crushing the hosts 7-1 in Belo Horizonte in an extraordinary semi-final, leaving millions of Brazilians in a state of shock.
"We did it well then and we will do it well this time again," Loew said.
The French secured their last-four spot with a 5-2 demolition of Iceland on Sunday, scoring four times in the first half to dash any hopes for the tournament's surprise team.
"France had an outstanding game yesterday although they did struggle a bit at the start of the tournament, scoring late and winning the games like that," Loew said.
"For them this was a bit of liberation, especially leading 4-0. They are now brimming with confidence, playing at home in Marseille with a fanatic crowd backing them.
"They are the absolute favourites with a home advantage and yesterday they tanked on confidence," the 56-year-old said.
Loew, who could also be without captain Bastian Schweinsteiger due to a ligament injury, was confident he had the manpower to get into the final as the Germans bid for a fourth continental crown.
Versatile midfielder Emre Can could slip into the holding role alongside Toni Kroos, with Julian Weigl a further option.
"We respect France, that's clear, but independent of our personnel situation, we know exactly what we have to do," Loew said.
"I have the feeling that the tournament is just starting. We are full of joy and energy although we are together six weeks now. I love these games against such tough teams."
FORM GUIDE OF SEMIFINALISTS
With four teams remaining at Euro 2016, below is a guide to the form of the semi-finalists, looking at their strengths and weaknesses.
FRANCE
France's form and that of forward Antoine Griezmann have gone hand in hand with both improving as the tournament has progressed.
Like France, Griezmann has got better and better and the speedy Atletico Madrid attacker is now the tournament's top scorer with four goals.
Griezmann, who scored one and set up another in Sunday's 5-2 win over Iceland, is clearly France's most dangerous weapon, although they have other attacking talents such as Olivier Giroud, who scored twice against Iceland, and Dimitri Payet, who also scored and assisted.
The host nation boosted their confidence with a scintillating performance against Iceland and showed they could take the game to their opponents from the first whistle, which they had failed to do with sluggish starts in their previous matches.
Coach Didier Deschamps, who has tinkered with his team, seems to have found the right formula in a 4-2-3-1 formation with Griezmann playing close to Giroud up front. With holding midfielder N'Golo Kante available to play against Germany after missing the Iceland game through suspension, however, he might be tempted to revert to a tighter, 4-3-3 system.
Deschamps's worries are clearly at the back. Centre back Samuel Umtiti, who won his first cap against Iceland, was not totally commanding and Adil Rami, who was suspended, could return to face Germany.
Rami, however, has shown signs of nerves on several occasions, as has left back Patrice Evra, leaving France's defence looking vulnerable, notably from set pieces.
GERMANY
Germany will be a different team from the one that beat Italy when they take on hosts France in Thursday's semifinal.
Their backline will be missing the suspended Mats Hummels, who had contributed greatly to Germany's four-match run without conceding a goal prior to Italy scoring against them in the quarter-finals.
Coach Joachim Loew could return to a four-man backline with Benedikt Hoewedes, solid so far, partnering Jerome Boateng in the centre with Jonas Hector and Joshua Kimmich as full backs.
Loew will also be without his only out-and-out striker Mario Gomez, who muscled his way into the starting lineup during the tournament, squeezing Mario Goetze on to the bench and scoring twice.
The forward, who was in fine form after also topping the Turkish league's scorers' list last season, has been ruled out with a muscle injury he sustained in the quarter-final.
Midfielders Sami Khedira and Bastian Schweinsteiger are both doubtful for the game against France after also suffering injuries against Italy.
PORTUGAL
Portugal have reached the semifinal without winning any of their five games inside 90 minutes or putting an a truly convincing performance.
But, with a strong defence and the permanent threat that Nani and Cristiano Ronaldo could strike at any moment, they have proved to be extremely difficult opponents to beat.
In fact, they have not lost in 12 competitive internationals since Fernando Santos took over at the start of the Euro 2016 qualifying campaign.
The team revolves around Ronaldo even though he sometimes appear to be an overbearing presence on his team mates and his insistence on taking every free kick has caused them to waste precious attacking opportunities.
Santos has insisted he is happy for his team to be considered the "ugly duckling" although there is a sense that if Portugal's top players were all to click, they could be a genuinely entertaining side.
WALES
Wales were initially carried on the shoulders of Gareth Bale but the burden of attacking responsibility seems to be spreading through the team with captain Ashley Williams, Hal Robson-Kanu and Sam Vokes scoring in their superb quarterfinal victory over Belgium.
Bale remains the attacking talisman in the Wales team, a focal point for so much of their forward play, but there is enough talent elsewhere for them not to be considered a one-man side.
Midfielder Joe Allen has played the deep lying playmaker role to perfection, immaculately recycling possession and proving a deft link between defence and attack, while centre back Williams has grown in stature throughout the tournament.
Midfielder Aaron Ramsey, however, will be suspended for the semi-final against Portugal, after he picked up a booking against Belgium and his absence is likely to be keenly felt.
Ramsey has contributed to five of Wales's 10 goals at the tournament, scoring one and providing four assists. Defender Ben Davies will also miss the match through suspension.
