Germany face a test of patience against Greece

Title contenders Germany meet Greece in the Euro 2012 quarter-finals today in which their patience will put to the test again. Joachim Loew’s team will likely face an even more stubborn defence  held together by two players who earn their money in the Bundesliga than in their group stage victories over Portugal and Denmark. After all, Greece have not changed since winning a surprise 2004 title with ultra-conservative safety-first tactics. Up front, they are even more efficient than the Germans once used to be, scoring three goals from not many more chances in the group stage. Movement and fast passing will be the key for the German attacking line which could feature the versatile Miroslav Klose in place of three-goal scorer Mario Gomez. Wingers Lukas Podolski and Thomas Mueller will have to contribute in the same way as midfielders Mesut Oezil, below par so far, Bastian Schweinsteiger and Sami Khedira. But Loew also has the fast and skilful Andre Schuerrle, Marco Reus and Mario Goetze up his sleeve on the bench to break down the Greek wall. “We have to move. If we are static it will be very difficult. We have to move and wear them out,” Khedira said. Germany no longer play the fast counter-attacking football that thrilled the football community in their strong run to third place at the 2010 World Cup. Opponents sit back more and Loew has introduced a passing game which partly resembles that of title holders Spain whose patience has also been put to the test at Euro 2012. However, Germany are the only team in the tournament to have won all three games in the group stage, in what was arguably the toughest draw with Portugal, Denmark and the Netherlands. Confidence is running high and Germany are not wasting any thought on a possible first defeat against Greece in what will be their ninth meeting. “The Greeks will definitely not be able to bring us to our knees,” Khedira said, with Mueller adding: “Elimination doesn’t exist in the team’s ambition for success.” Northern German politician Ralf Stegner from the Social Democrats struck a similar line, saying: “They have more chance of getting their country back in order than winning the football game against Germany.” After all, the game is in part overshadowed by politics as German chancellor Angela Merkel is seen in Greece as the driving force of harsh austerity measures imposed on the them as part of an international financial bailout deal. Merkel will be present for the game in Gdansk and Greek Prime Minister Antonis Samaras may also make the trip, but their attention is set to focus entirely on football. The players want to do the same and the Greeks will have to be fully focused on their game in order to create an upset without the suspended captain Giorgos Karagounis. Vice-captain Kostas Katsouranis vowed that “we will fight” and it could help the Greeks that defenders Kyriakos Papadopoulos of Schalke and Sokratis of Werder Bremen know most German players from the league. “Of course this is a special game for me. I am playing against players whom I know from the Bundesliga. This may be an advantage.”