Euro 2008: Final Fever !
Euro-Beckenbauer fears technically gifted Spanish
German soccer great Franz Beckenbauer said on Saturday that a technically-gifted Spain would beat his compatriots in the Euro 2008 final if they played like they did against Russia.
Spain reached Sunday’s final in Vienna after overcoming Russia 3-0 in Thursday’s semi-final thanks to a strong second-half display.
“In the second half the Spanish performance was the best I have seen in the last decade. The Spanish team with this performance would beat any team in the world,” Beckenbauer, 62, told a news conference.
“Definitely the Spanish players are more flexible technique-wise, maybe better than the German team. I don’t know if Germany are physically stronger than Spain.”
Germany to win final - on penalties….again, says ‘The Kaiser’
Franz Beckenbauer says he expects Germany to win Sunday’s Euro 2008 final against Spain in Vienna on penalties - as the Germans have not missed in a shoot-out for 26 years.
Living-legend Beckenbauer, who won the 1974 World Cup as a player and as a coach in 1990, says he expects a high-scoring final at the Ernst-Happel Stadium on Sunday night, but expects penalty-kings Germany to sneak it.
Germany have not lost a penalty shoot-out at a major tournament since the 1976 European Championship final against the Czech Republic when current Bayern Munich manager Uli Hoeness fired over the bar.
Since then they have won five from five penalty shoot-outs.
Filed under: Sport, blog | Tagged: euro2008, Football, Germany