adminPARIS. — If Germany do win Euro 2016 soccer title, they will not have done so the easy way. Joachim Löw’s World Champions were back at base on Sunday, licking their wounds after a draining quarter-final with Italy in Bordeaux on Saturday night, recuperating and finding out who they will play in Thursday’s semi-final in Marseille. Germany have been the best team in the tournament so far but they will know that they have never been more vulnerable than they will be for that forthcoming semi-final. Germany played for two draining hours against Italy on Saturday, gifting Antonio Conte’s side a way back into the game that meant extra-time and penalties. That shoot-out took 18 kicks, with Bastian Schweinsteiger missing a chance to win it before, four kicks each later, Jonas Hector squeezed the ball underneath Gianluigi Buffon.
The fear for Germany and Löw is that that win might prove to a Phyrric one. Mario Gomez and Sami Khedira both picked up injuries which will keep them out of the rest of the tournament, while Mats Hummels will be suspended.
Those three make up the muscular spine of the team, three players who have been Germany regulars for years, and they will certainly be a lesser side without them. Gomez has been one of the revelations of this tournament, forcing Löw to realise that he is better off with a good old-fashioned number nine rather than a modern “false” one. — AFP.
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