‘KNOWS WHAT IS AT STAKE’

German coach Hansi Flick is confident his side have the talent to reignite their World Cup campaign

GERMANY’S players are ready to deliver against Spain on Sunday in a crunch game for World Cup survival, coach Hansi Flick has vowed.

The four-time world champions crashed to a 2-1 opening defeat against Japan and will be out in the group stage for the second straight time if they lose against Spain and Japan don’t against Costa Rica a few hours earlier.

“Tomorrow we will see a team that knows what is at stake and that will give its all so that we have the door open to the last 16 on the final matchday,” Flick told a news conference Saturday. “We need conviction, especially against Spain.

“I am convinced of what we are doing and the way we play football. We are convinced that the team has the quality to put that into practice.” Germany have not beaten the 2010 World Cup winners Spain at a major tournament since 1988, and lost their last game against them 6-0 in the 2020 Nations League.

A loss to the Spaniards would see Germany eliminated if Japan avoid defeat against Costa Rica in Sunday’s other Group E game.

Flick however is confident that Germany have the talent to reignite their World Cup campaign against a Spanish side that destroyed Costa Rica 7-0 in their first game.

“We have a team that has quality, that can implement the things (we are working on), and we are very positive about it,” Flick said.

“We need to arrive with courage and with faith in our quality for this game against Spain.”

Spain started the Qatar tournament with a 7-0 rout of Costa Rica and Flick acknowledged that Luis Enrique’s team has “fantastic quality.” Germany were wasteful up front against Japan and also sloppy in defence which allowed Japan to turn the match around in the later stages.

There was some finger-pointing after the game, followed by a clear-the-air meeting with all 26 players and Flick.

“We addressed things clearly,” Flick said. “It’s important that we know what we did badly, that’s what everyone took away. At the end of the day it’s about getting the team ready for a tough game.”

Flick is expected to reshuffle his team and will hope to have winger Leroy Sane available. The Bayern player missed the game against Japan due to a knee injury, but completed the final training session on Saturday evening with the other 25 players.