BackAn old rivalry reignited
An old rivalry reignited
PremiumGermany’s Philipp Lahm celebrates scoring the opening goal during the Euro 2012 soccer championship quarterfinal match between Germany and Greece in Gdansk, Poland. Gero Breloer/AP
It’s not often that the best teams reach the final stages of a big football tournament, but that’s exactly what’s happened at Euro 2012. Few will dispute that Spain, Portugal, Germany and Italy are the four strongest teams in Europe right now. The all-Iberian first semi-final promises a display of breathtaking skills employed with poetic flair, and Germany and Italy will play out the latest edition of what is now one of the oldest rivalries in football.
Italy coach Cesare Prandelli will be looking for his side to extend their proud record of never losing to Germany in a major tournament. In fact, the Italians beat Germany on home ground in a feverish semi-final match at the 2006 World Cup—just the latest in a long line of such defeats: Italy had beaten Germany in the 1982 World Cup final, and the 1970 World Cup semi-final. Andrea Pirlo, the influential Italian midfielder who controls and coordinates his team’s attacks, lost no time in rubbing it in.
Leaving aside their poor history against the Italians, the Germans are riding high on a golden run of form—they have won their last 15 competitive matches since losing to Spain in the semi-final of the 2010 World Cup. Germany have now also reached their fourth successive semi-final in a major tournament. There are two sides to that story. One speaks of their consistency and stability, the other of their inability to take the next step and actually win a tournament. Germany’s last victory was Euro 1996.
Germany coach Joachim Loew did his best to keep the focus on the game at hand.
“We can’t turn back time, forget about it, the past doesn’t play a role in our planning," said the 52-year-old. “Germany has never won against Italy in a major tournament, but so what?"
Loew is quietly confident of the talent and depth in his side. He completely rejigged Germany’s six-man attack for their quarter-final against Greece, dropping star striker Mario Gomez, as well as 2010 World Cup stars Thomas Mueller and Lukas Podolski. Their replacements, rookie forwards Andre Schurrle and Marco Reus, proved their worth on the ground in a 4-2 win. Having beaten the Netherlands, Portugal and Denmark en route to the knock-out phase, the Germans are raring for a fight. Captain Philipp Lahm has asked for total focus ahead of their semi-final clash. “Small things will separate the great teams that are left now," said the 28-year-old.
Buffon will draw inspiration from the fact that Italy drew against Spain in their opening match—which puts Germany squarely in the cross hairs. Buffon had an extensive role to play in that draw against Spain, proving why he is still considered the best in the business after 15 years playing for his country. He will hope to equal, or better, that performance against Germany.
AFP contributed to this story.
rudraneil.s@livemint.com
Unlock a world of Benefits! From insightful newsletters to real-time stock tracking, breaking news and a personalized newsfeed – it's all here, just a click away! Login Now!
