The four teams left in soccer’s European Championship took a welcome breather from match action, the first of two rest days ahead of a pair of intriguing semi-finals which pit familiar foes against one another.
Germany and holders Spain are favorites to reach next Sunday’s final but must overcome respectively the weight of history and the world’s most expensive player Cristiano Ronaldo to get there.
The Germans, whose exciting young side have won all their games so far, scoring nine goals along the way, have never beaten opponents Italy at a major tournament in seven attempts and are sweating on the fitness of playmaker Bastian Schweinsteiger ahead of Thursday’s game in Warsaw.
However, ‘Schweini’ returned to training on Monday after two days on the sidelines and Germany are hopeful he will be able to shake off a nagging ankle problem in time to face the Italians.
Italy have their own injury headaches and coach Cesare Prandelli complained that the timing of the quarter-finals meant his opponents will have had two extra days to recover.
«It’s a problem that UEFA must consider for the next European Championship,» he told a news conference on Monday.
«To play a semi with this small gap does not help the spectacle.
As in 2006, when Italy were eventually crowned world champions, the team came into the tournament with unwanted headlines at home due to a domestic match-fixing scandal.
But the Azzurri have drawn praise for playing an attractive attacking game and they had 35 shots on goal in Sunday’s 0-0 draw with England in Kiev – the first game to go to extra time at the finals – before prevailing on penalties.
«Italy have been surprising at this tournament and they fully deserve to be in the last four,» Germany midfielder Mesut Ozil told reporters.
«There was a lot of negative stuff written about them before the tournament but they have showed how good a team they are.»
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