VIEW FROM GERMANY

AFTER limping through to the next round with a nervy 2-2 draw at home to Hungary, Germany are hardly brimming with confidence as they look ahead to Tuesday’s titanic clash with England at Wembley.

‘Wembley suits us,’ said goalkeeper Manuel Neuer, with an optimistic nod to past German triumphs at England’s national stadium. But he didn’t sound too convinced.

In the ZDF TV studio after the Hungary game, former Arsenal defender Per Mertesacker struck a more gloomy tone. ‘If we play like that, we don’t stand a chance against England,’ he said.

Joachim Low’s team have blown hot and cold at Euro 2020, and they have a healthy respect for Gareth Southgate’s men.

‘Germany won’t consider themselves as favourites against England,’ wrote Frankfurt broadsheet FAZ.

‘We need to be a lot better or the English will make us look old,’ wrote Bild, their most popular paper.

Yet the paper also claimed England had been ‘harmless so far’ and that Wembley was Germany’s ‘favourite stadium’.

Kicker magazine reminded readers that the Three Lions have only scored two goals in their opening three games. ‘ England are struggling in attack,’ they said. ‘ Our chances are probably 50-50.’

But Berlin’s biggest newspaper Der Tagesspiegel were more complimentary. ‘Germany’s next opponent are a class above,’ they wrote.

Even Germany midfielder Joshua Kimmich warned that his side would need to improve if they were to progress to the quarter-finals.

‘If we play like we did today, we may as well not turn up in London,’ he said after the draw with Hungary.