Ukraine defence a test for Germans

GERMANY’S defence will be put to the test in their opening Euro 2016 group match against Ukraine in Lille today with major questions still to be answered about the world champions’ new-look rearguard.

Coach Joachim Loew’s team will be without key central defender Mats Hummels, still recovering from a muscle injury, as they kick off their Group C campaign.

Hummels’ replacement, Antonio Ruediger, was ruled out with torn cruciate knee ligaments this week.

Holding midfielder and captain Bastian Schweinsteiger, still working on his comeback from injury, is also absent, further complicating Loew’s defensive conundrum.

Benedikt Hoewedes and Jerome Boateng are the two likely central defenders, but both had a long injury break late in the season and are in desperate need of match practice. Jonathan Tah, the 20-year-old who was only called up this week following Ruediger’s injury, is expected to be on the bench.

Toni Kroos, who will shoulder the responsibility of connecting Germany’s defence and attack, is brimming with confidence after his Champions League win with Real Madrid.

Assistant coach Thomas Schneider sounded confident this week that the team would quickly find their cohesion at the back. “In the last few matches we thought a lot about our defensive operation and we came up with a few things, including for defensive set pieces,” he said. “We have worked on that in training and everyone knows their job.”

Ukraine, while outsiders, are certain to test the Germans’ new-look defence with quick wingers Andriy Yarmolenko and Yevhen Konoplyanka capable of inflicting severe damage.

The Germans, eyeing their fourth Euro triumph, but first since 1996, have never lost an opening match at the European Championship and are aware a slip-up could prove costly.

“The first game is extremely important and it will determine our run in this tournament,” attacking midfielder Julian Draxler said.

Ukraine managed to keep six clean sheets in 10 qualifiers with coach Mykhailo Fomenko having taken over after the co-hosts’ disappointing Euro 2012 campaign.

They then came out on top against Slovenia in a play-off last year, with the 67-year-old having moulded them into an efficient unit. — Reuters

Spain out to three-peat

ATLETICO Madrid midfielder Koke believes Spain have the perfect blend of youth and experience to win an unprecedented third consecutive European Championship.

La Roja’s run of three consecutive major tournament triumphs came to an end in spectacular fashion as they crashed out of the World Cup after just two games in Brazil two years ago.

However, Koke is hopeful a core of players that have graduated to the senior team from the side that won the 2013 under-21 Euros can add fresh blood to a squad also containing veterans of Spain’s golden run between 2008 and 2012 like Iker Casillas, Sergio Ramos and Andres Iniesta.

“There are people that have won the under-21 Euros and then the veteran group,” said Koke.

“We are all desperate to do well to bring a third straight Euros back to Spain.

“I am excited to play and win. That is one of the things the new players will bring to the group.”

David de Gea, Marc Bartra, Thiago Alcantara and Alvaro Morata were also part of the victorious Spanish under-21 side in Israel three years ago, but have been made to wait their time for a chance in the senior team by conservative coach Vicente del Bosque.

Morata is expected to start when Spain get under way against the Czech Republic tomorrow after Del Bosque left Fernando Torres — who scored in the last two Euro finals — and Chelsea’s Diego Costa out of his 23-man squad.

“It is clear there are other people that could be here that deserve it as much or even more than I do,” said Morata. “It is an honour to be a striker in the Spanish national team. It is something that brings with it a lot of pressure.” Morata is a man in demand after shining for the past two years at Juventus since leaving European champions Real Madrid.

Real could exercise a buy-back clause on the 23-year-old to bolster a potent strike force already containing Cristiano Ronaldo and Gareth Bale, or even to then sell him on again to a host of interested cash-rich Premier League clubs.

“I am a Juventus player until someone tells me otherwise,” added Morata.

“This is my first Euros and the first one for many of my teammates.

“It is a dream to be in the Spanish national team and I am only thinking about the Euros.” Morata scored twice as Spain thrashed South Korea 6-1 last week, but missed out through injury as Del Bosque’s men were humbled 1-0 at home by Georgia, ranked 137 in the world, on Tuesday.

However, Koke insisted that set- back hasn’t affected confidence ahead of their meeting with the Czechs in a tough group also including Turkey and Croatia.

“The defeat was an accident and it is better that it came in a friendly.

“There is a great atmosphere in the group, we are all training well and desperate for the first game to come and do well.”

Coach Conte cautious

ITALY coach Antonio Conte calmed Azzurri hopes of a triumphant summer of football by admitting the beaten 2012 finalists will be taking a “humble” approach to their Euro 2016 campaign in France.

But Conte, speaking at the Casa Azzurra near their team base in Montpellier, said every one of his 23man squad will get a chance to play in their opening three group games against Belgium, Sweden and the Republic of Ireland.

“I don’t have a crystal ball,” Conte told media when asked what Italy could be expected to achieve ahead of their Group E opener against Belgium in Lille.

Using a cycling analogy, he added: “We have to stay humble, keep our heads down and just keep pedalling.” Two years after suffering their second successive first-round exit at a World Cup, while under former coach Cesare Prandelli, ex-Juventus boss Conte has huge pressure on his shoulders ahead of a move to Chelsea later this summer.

And the make-up of their group opponents doesn’t help matters — Group E has been described as one of the toughest in the tournament.

Belgium are ranked No 2 in the world and are expected to finish top of the standings.

Former Inter Milan, AC Milan and Juventus striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic is the big star of Sweden’s team while Republic of Ireland are seen as an unpredictable side that, on their day, are capable of pulling off a big upset. — AFP