Loew`s Germany face acid test against old rivals France
Under-fire Germany face rejuvenated France in tomorrow`s World Cup quarter-final at Rio de Janeiro`s iconic Maracana stadium in a mouth-watering clash of two European powerhouses.
|Last Updated: Jul 03, 2014, 10:42 AM IST|Source: AFP
Rio de Janeiro: Under-fire Germany face rejuvenated France in tomorrow`s World Cup quarter-final at Rio de Janeiro`s iconic Maracana stadium in a mouth-watering clash of two European powerhouses.
This represents an acid test for Germany coach Joachim Loew with his side heavily criticised for below-par performances in this edition.
A place in Tuesday`s semi-final against either Brazil or Colombia in Belo Horizonte is at stake.
"Didier Deschamps has turned France around since 2010 and we`re looking forward to another classic," said Loew who took charge after the 2006 World Cup.
Their 4-0 hammering of Portugal in their opening group match confirmed their status amongst the world`s elite, but a series of unimpressive performances have seen Loew`s Germans receive heavy criticism.
Having been held to a 2-2 draw by Ghana, then grinding out a 1-0 win over the USA in their final group match, poor finishing saw Germany labour to a 2-1 extra-time win over Algeria in Monday`s last 16 clash.
Former captains Michael Ballack, Oliver Kahn and Lothar Matthaeus have all questioned Loew`s selections with playmaker Mesut Ozil struggling and centre-backs Jerome Boateng and Benedikt Hoewedes being played out of position as wing-backs.
"That was the worst performance for years," Ballack reflected after the Algeria match, while Kahn was equally unimpressed: "This line-up isn`t working any more".
Loew has a contract with the German FA (DFB) until June 2016, but a quarter-final exit will put him under pressure to resign despite steering his side to the semi-finals of the last three major tournaments.
In contrast, France have risen steadily under their coach Deschamps and are unrecognisable from their chaotic 2010 campaign in South Africa.
With Karim Benzema in top form, France are dreaming of their first World Cup title since their 1998 triumph on home soil, but their focus is solely on Germany.
"Everyone can dream, including me, but I`m a pragmatist and a realist, Friday is the only thing that counts," said Deschamps.
While the Germans are struggling to find the right combinations for their fast-paced attacking game, Deschamps says his harmonious squad is a "pleasure" to work with and the French will "give it everything we`ve got".
Honours are even in terms of recent meetings with France claiming a 2-1 win in Bremen in February 2012, while Germany claimed revenge by the exact same scoreline in Paris 12 months later.
The French lead the series with 11 wins to Germany`s eight in 25 previous meetings.
Both sides played down the relevance of their legendary 1982 World Cup semi-final, which Germany won 5-4 on penalties after a dramatic 3-3 extra-time draw.
The Seville game attained notoriety when Germany keeper Harald Schumacher shoulder-charged Patrick Battiston, leaving the Frenchman unconscious on the ground.
With the media quick to ask whether France can claim some World Cup revenge, both Loew and Deschamps pointed to the fact most of their respective players were not born at the time.
Germany will have centre-back Mats Hummels back after missing the Algeria win with flu, while Lukas Podolski is fit again after a thigh strain.
There is a question mark over midfielder Bastian Schweinsteiger who came off with cramp, but gave the thumbs down when pointing at his knee, which blighted him with tendinitis before the World Cup.
There is a question mark over France defender Raphael Varane, who spent the night in hospital with dehydration after Monday`s 2-0 win over Nigeria in the last 16.
Liverpool defender Mamadou Sakho is fit again after knee problems, while it remains to be seen who Deschamps names as striker between Olivier Giroud or Antoine Griezmann.
By clicking “Accept All Cookies”, you agree to the storing of cookies on your device to enhance site navigation, analyze site usage, and assist in our marketing efforts.
Cookies Setting
By clicking “Accept All Cookies”, you agree to the storing of cookies on your device and the processing of information obtained via those cookies (including about your preferences, device and online activity) by us and our commercial partners to enhance site navigation, personalise ads, analyze site usage, and assist in our marketing efforts. More information can be found in our Cookies and Privacy Policy. You can amend your cookie settings to reject non-essential cookies by clicking Cookie Settings below.
Manage Consent Preferences
Strictly Necessary Cookies
These cookies are necessary for the website to function and cannot be switched off in our systems. They are usually only set in response to actions made by you which amount to a request for services, such as setting your privacy preferences, logging in or filling in forms. You can set your browser to block or alert you about these cookies, but some parts of the site will not then work or you may not be able to login.
Functional Cookies
These cookies enable the website to provide enhanced functionality and personalisation. They may be set by us or by third party providers whose services we have added to our pages. If you do not allow these cookies then some or all of these services may not function properly.
Targeting Cookies
These cookies may be set through our site by our advertising partners. They may be used by those companies to build a profile of your interests and show you relevant adverts on other sites. They are also used to limit the number of times you see an advert as well as help measure the effectiveness of an advertising campaign. They do not store directly personal information, but are based on uniquely identifying your browser and internet device. If you do not allow these cookies, you will experience less targeted advertising.
Performance Cookies
These cookies allow us to count visits and traffic sources so we can measure and improve the performance of our site. They help us to know which pages are the most and least popular and see how visitors move around the site. All information these cookies collect is aggregated and therefore anonymous. If you do not allow these cookies we may not know when you have visited our site, and may not be able to monitor its performance.