Euro 2008 Final: Spain vs Germany Preview

Saturday 28 Jun 2008
On Sunday evening, Spain will line up against Germany in what promises to be a mouth-watering Euro 2008 final in Vienna. In a match which will mark Spain's first major final in twenty-four years, Luis Arganones's side will be hoping to rewrite the history books and claim their second European trophy after a 44-year wait.

Buoyed by the recent twist in fortune which has seen La Furia Roja (the red fury) lay to rest ghosts of previous penalty shoot-out exits and advance to the final, Aragones will be looking to recall the spirit of the 1964-winning side to lead his nation to European glory in this year's final.


IS THIS THEIR YEAR? In head-to-heads, history slightly favours the Germans who have won eight of nineteen meetings, while Spain have claimed five wins. There have been six draws. The last meeting came fourteen years ago during the 1994 World Cup finals in the USA which ended 1-1, leaving this game even harder to predict.

Spain, thanks to their impressive form this year, may go into the game as narrow favourites. Their loss of David Villa through injury will certainly hand Germany a morale boost, but the Spaniards will still pose a very stern threat through Daniel Guiza, who has scored twice when coming off the bench so far in this tournament.

Tournament So Far...

Undoubtedly the talking point will be Spain's flair and strength in depth, but a more significant issue is the seeming end of infighting between rival Real Madrid and Barcelona players in the dressing room. This Spanish side seems a more complete unit and, although Aragones's decision to leave out Real talisman Raul sent shockwaves through Spain last month, it looks like a decision well made with a new generation of talents David Silva, Torres and Fabregas given greater freedom to express themselves on the field.

In comparison, opponents Germany demonstrated their efficiency as they reached their thirteenth major final despite a troubled campaign. It certainly hasn't been pretty to watch, but the Germans have shown grit and determination in each game to make it through to this final. Unapologetic towards critics which have labelled them boring and unattractive, the Germans will enter Sunday's final eager to prove their doubters wrong and claim their first major honour since winning this tournament in 1996.
source : www.4thegame.com