Euro 08 Quarterfinals: Portugal vs Germany

[Point forward]

Bern, 19. June

PORTUGAL
Winner of Group A with 6 points
W vs TUR (2-0); W vs CZE (3-1); L vs SUI (0-2)


GERMANY
wnd place of Group B with 6 points
W vs POL (2-0); L vs CRO (1-2); W vs AUT (1-0)


KEY PLAYERS

Cristiano Ronaldo of Manchester United is the maybe best player on this planet at the moment. A magician at the ball, a great passer, and a goal waiting to happen. Emboldened by his recent successes with ManU.


Michael Ballack is the "Mr. Clutch" of Chelsea London. Always scores in big games, huge shooter and maybe the best header on this planet. Stung by a long string of 2nd places, he thrists for winning the EC.

[El Turco]

I am naturally rooting for Germany but the way they played so far, it is not looking good. Portugal has to be the early favorites but, Germany is master of elimination games.

If i am Germany, i am playing this in slow tempo and force Portugal to play from air and give my tall defenders advantage. Germans can even play for a draw since they are lock to win penalty shootouts .

[BlackMamba]

well, it's time for ronaldo to prove why he was the best player during this last year.

i think it will be a tough game, it won't have anything to do with the WC matchup. it could be more like the portugal-netherlands of the WC. a lof of battle, maybe a few red cards...

[Slava]

Go Portugal!!

[Rasheeed!!!]

Out with the boring teams....go Portugal!!!

[tkb]

I'm cheering for Germany in this one (most having to do with me putting money on them winning it all as well as Italy, Spain and Holland before the tourney started, and not Portugal).

[Sleepy]

Frings might be done for the tournament with a broken rib. While this sucks (last time he couldn't play we lost against Italy...), he hasn't been playing like 2 years ago. He's not the stabilizing factor he used to be.

There'll be some changes for the german team. My prediction:
-------------Lehman-------------
Friedrich-Merte-Metze-Lahm
-------Borowski-Ballack--------
Schweini-------------------Hitz
-----------Klose--Poldi---------

[Se7en WoRds]

I'll be rooting hard for Portugal as always, but Germany is going to be very difficult match.

GO PORTUGAL

[UrbanLegendMD]

I am rooting for Germany and got my Klinsmann jersey ready. I agree they have to make this a slow game and be physical. Prediction: Germany 1:0

[Point forward]

This will be the first GER match in my life in which GER is the clear cut underdog. Apart from GK (which is about even), we are clearly worse in all team areas. The defense has been shaky, the midfield play devoid of any passing security and the attack (apart from Podolski) laughably weak. My prediction:

Lehmann - Friedrich, Mertesacker, Metzelder, Lahm - Schweinsteiger, Ballack, Borowski, Hitzlsperger - Klose, Podolski

In bold: ppl who had a subaverage or bad season 2007-8. See the pattern?

A win is possible of course, but it would be a big surprise.

[Shaazzam]

Gomez had better be dropped. The guy has been completely useless. I don't know if I have seen him make a play, never mind scoring goals, but make one play yet.

Schweinsteiger is need to add some verve and penetration. I'm excited about Podolski moving forward as well. We had better manage the midfield better or we are going to get pounded.

[Basti]

I wouldn't say that I'm confident that we'll win this game vs portugal but I wouldn't be surprised at all if portugal won't get anything done (in the sense like they played so far). I think they have much more problems facing teams that hustle. then again, germany is not that much of a hustling team so far.

I'm really surprised what's going to happen...

[Sleepy]

I hope it rains tomorrow. Like it did in Frankfurt 1974... that would be great for us. Slows the dribblers and benefits our best weapon: Long Range Bombs! Line Ballack (we saw what he can do against Austria), Hitzelsberger (Hitz the Hammer), Podolski (Mr.Ackergaul) and Schweinsteiger (remember 2006, Ricardo?) up and let them fire away. Probably our best bet to score!

[El Turco]

Joachim Low has been banned for Portugal game:

Germany coach Joachim Low has been banned from the touchline for his side's Euro 2008 quarter-final against Portugal on Thursday.

Low and Austria counterpart Josef Hickersberger were sent to the stands during Germany's 1-0 win on Monday.

Low will not be allowed any contact with his players once they get to the stadium in Basel, Switzerland.

[Captain_Obvious]

I predict a win for Germany. We will make at least one big game in this tournament, thats all im hoping for. Its unfortunate for Portugal to meet us now already, if we met in the semis i would have picked them to win. So we will beat them, play bad in the semis, but still advance vs. Turkey, and put up a big fight vs Holland.

I still have hope for Gomez, he just needs one goal to get alive. He's better than Klose and much better than Podolski IMO, he just needs to get his head straight.

Prediction: 2-1 for Germany

[Basti]

Joachim Low has been banned for Portugal game:

Germany coach Joachim Low has been banned from the touchline for his side's Euro 2008 quarter-final against Portugal on Thursday.

Low and Austria counterpart Josef Hickersberger were sent to the stands during Germany's 1-0 win on Monday.

Low will not be allowed any contact with his players once they get to the stadium in Basel, Switzerland.

yeah that's stupid. the suspense for both coaches in the game weren't even warranted IMO

[Point forward]

Idiotic decision. Well, let's see how good assistant coach Hansi Flick is...

[Sleepy]

Well, just let that name roll of your tongue. Hans-Peter "Hansi" Flick... if that's not an indicator for greatness, what else is?

I think we'll be fine. We're capable of beating Portugal. Being the underdog isn't a disadvantage.
I just hope the team doesn't try to find their luck in defending the Portuguese attacks. That won't work. Play physical&tough, attack them early, press the hell out of their midfield and hope their backs break under that pressure. If they are able to play their way out of that, well... then they deserve the win. But I really want to see a though fighting german team.
BTW I really miss a real Wadenbeisser on the squad. Somebody like Katsche Schwarzenbeck, Berti Vogts or Dieter Eilts. Somebody who'll give C.Ronaldo nightmares for the rest of his career. I don't like him, but Jermaine Jones would've been really useful today.

[snitch55]

This will be the first GER match in my life in which GER is the clear cut underdog. Apart from GK (which is about even), we are clearly worse in all team areas..

Really ? 2002 Brazil - Germany World Cup final
I never write off the germans neither should you.
i prefer Portugal- Croatia , bit have a feeling in my mind , that i the end it will be all Germany . .

[Sleepy]

I think PF was refering to the new era of soccer, which started in 2004 with Jürgen Klinsmann. Before that, our godawful teams (between 1998 and 2004) were underdogs against pretty much everybody and anything. We got totally punked in 2000 and 2004 and got lucky in 2002, wining 1:0 three times in a row on our way to the finals. The friendlies and qualifiers during that time were even worse... wasn't easy being a fan during these days.