Germany vs Spain Prediction

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.

However, despite their reputation for ruthless efficiency, Joachim Low's side are not without their flaws. Unconvincing performances against Turkey in the 3-2 semi-final triumph and an early defeat to Croatia outline a major defensive problem for the European giants, and judging from their stuttering campaign it is possible they will struggle to contain Spain's free-flowing passing and off the ball movement.

Key Men

The Spanish line-up offers a rich blend of creativity and defensive proficiency with Marcos Senna's holding role in front of the back four allowing starlet Xavi Hernandez the freedom to push forward. Senna's performances for Spain has been outstanding this campaign and this is a key area in which the game will be won and lost. David Villa's imperious presence will certainly be missed, but with Torres also looking sharp this year and Cesc Fabregas at his talismanic best in the semi-final versus Russia, Spain have enough quality to compensate for his absence.

However, Germany are certainly not without key men and a major threat will once again come from Michael Ballack. He has been on top form in this campaign, and has often lifted a mediocre German outfit when matches were beginning to slip away from them. Coach Joachim Low will also be encouraged by the return of Torsten Frings from injury, while Bastien Schweinsteiger will be looking to maintain his top form and his tussle with wing-back Capdevilla is sure to be a fascinating spectacle. If Lukas Podolski can return to the form he showed in the opening game against Poland, the Germans certainly have the man-for-man quality to match their opponents.

Conclusion

Despite Spanish football's illustrious domestic history, the country has failed to deliver on the international scene, while Germany have thrived. However Euro 2008 has breathed hope into the Spanish game and given us good reason to believe that the pendulum of power in Europe maybe about to move once more. The Germans can draw strength from their dominance in previous competitions, of course, but Spain's young guns have the chance to make history and achieve what so many Spanish greats could not - and we reckon they will rise to the occassion.

from: http://www.4thegame.com/