Germany v Portugal: Team News, Key Players, Form and Prediction
Germany and Portugal will get proceedings in group G underway when they meet in Salvador on Monday at 5pm.
The European heavyweights will be out to secure an opening day win especially with Ghana and the USA also paired in what can only be described as a group of death.
Team News:
Germany will be without Marco Reus after he was ruled out of the tournament before a ball was even kicked after tearing ankle ligaments in a friendly against Armenia while Manuel Neuer and Philipp Lahm have been passed fit to feature following recent strains.
The Bayern pair are set to be joined in the squad by their club team-mate Bastian Schweinsteiger after Joachim Low confirmed that the Bayern Munich midfielder would be fit for the clash.
The influential star emerged as a doubt for game after he was airlifted to hospital from Germany’s training base on Saturday for a scan on the knee injury he sustained during the national team’s pre-tournament camp in South Tyrol last month.
However speaking at a pre-match conference Low confirmed all was okay with the star, telling reporters “His problems with his knee are completely cleared,”
Portugal meanwhile have had some worries of their own with their star man, Ronaldo also struggling with injury.
The Real Madrid forward has been plagued by thigh and knee problems for several weeks, but is expected to feature from the start on Monday.
Form
Both sides have been in good form in the build-up to the tournament. Since losing to Brazil 3-1 in a friendly last September, the Portuguese have won 6 and drawn 2 including five twice in their last four games. In March Paulo Bento’s men hit Cameroon for five and they repeated the feat in their final game before the tournament against Ireland.
Germany have also been red-hot in front of goal in recent months, they beat Sweden 5-3 in their final qualifier and hit Armenia for 6 in their final game before the tournament. In between they have beaten England and Chile whilst drawing with Italy, Poland and Cameroon.
Key Men
Germany
Bayern Munich star Thomas Muller has scored 17 goals for his country, five of which came in the last world cup. A man for the big occasion Muller’s ability to as an attacking midfielder or upfront is one of the reasons Low named just one out and out striker in his squad. The player recently signed a new deal with Munich and with his future safe he will be able to focus on his football in Brazil which should spell trouble for Germany’s rivals. Good in the air with good feet, Muller is as awkward as he is skilful but with almost 200 goals and assists for his club he knows how to trouble opposing defenders.
Portugal:
There can be only one, the mercurial Ronaldo. The forward has scored 49 goals in 111 games for this country and comes into the tournament on the back of a stunning season in which he guided Real to a record 10th Champions league, breaking the tournament scoring record in the process. The current Ballon D’or holder will be keen to guide his nation to the knock-out stages and over-shadow his rival for the best player in the world, Lionel Messi.
Prediction:
Germany have not lost to Portugal since 2000 when they went down 3-0 in the European Championship. Since then they have met in the World Cup (2006) and the European Championship (2008 & 2012) with Germany winning all three clashes, scoring 7 and conceding 3 in the process. Overall Germany have lost just 3 of their 17 meetings and it is hard to see Portugal bucking the trend on his occasion. Germany to win.
