Spain to clash with Germany in Vigo
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E-mail CNTV, November 18, 2014
A series of FIFA international friendlies will be held later tonight. And one of the most anticipated fixtures is, with little doubt, Spain hosting Germany in Vigo which promises to be a fascinating friendly between the last two World Cup winners.
With Spain still looking to bounce back from the lows of this past summer's World Cup, the Rojas are turning their attention toward Germany, a foe they have beaten three consecutive times, and the squad is hoping to carry over the momentum from their 3-0 win over Belarus in Euro 2016 Qualifying.
The streak Vicente Del Bosque's mean have put together against Die Mannschaft includes the 2008 European Championship Match and a 2010 World Cup Semi-Final, but the manager is now shuffling a number of fresh faces into the line-up as he looks to return the side to its winning ways.
And following the international retirements of such veteran stars as Xavi, David Villa, and Xabi Alonso, fans hopes for a quick Spanish renaissance now rest on the shoulders of young prodigies like Koke and Isco.
"At this level of competition there's no difference between non-official and official matches. These are two national teams that know very well how to play football. And, if there are some changes in both teams, we'll try to play well and put on a good show. There is a lot of pressure on them to perform because of their poor results in recent matches," said Vicente Del Bosque, Spain coach.
The Germans travel to Vigo following what they consider a disappointing 4-0 win at home against Gibraltar in Euro 2016 Qualifying. Marco Reus, Julian Draxler, and Christoph Kramer had all pulled out of the squad before Friday's victory, with Manuel Neuer and Jerome Boateng stepping aside after the game.
Those absences are sure to cause some serious headaches for manager Joachim Loew, who has also been without Mesut Ozil, Andre Schuerrle, Bastian Schweinsteiger, and Mats Hummels. So this contest will also be a chance for him to reassess his team's position going forward.
"Against a rival of such great quality as Spain, this match is a challenge for us. In both sides there are important absences. We have both lost players that have been essential to the team. But for the new players, it's an opportunity to prove themselves, and show me that I can count on them for the future," said Germany coach Joachim Loew.
Ronaldo versus Messi headlines tantalizing showdown
Tuesday's schedule of friendlies will also feature a battle between rivals Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi, as the two La Liga giants lead Portugal and Argentina onto the pitch in Manchester. And with this showdown taking place at Old Trafford, the home field of CR-7's former club United, he will surely be keen to one-up his nemesis.
The two countries last played in 2011, when a late penalty kick by the Little Magician ensured a 2-1 victory for the Albiceleste. But despite the widespread anticipation of a Ronaldo vs. Messi classic, A Seleccao coach Fernando Santos is tyrying to play down the individual names, and focus on the squads.
"Games like this are great clashes, especially near the Golden Ball Award ceremony. I am not focused on the rivalry between two players. They will not play one against one. If they were, I would try to tell Cristiano what he should do to stop Messi. But it's not the case. Therefore, what I am focused on is to show my team what we should do against Argentina, whenever we have the ball and when we don't have it, so we can reach our goal of winning the game," said Fernando Santos, Portugal coach.
The Argentines come into this encounter after defeating Croatia 2-1 in a friendly in London last week. Although the Little Magician and CR-7 are receiving the majority of the pre-game attention, the South American side's coach, Gerardo Martino, is determined to have his charges work together to nullify Ronaldo's efforts, as they continue to build toward for next year's Copa America, which takes place in Chile.
The night's other fixtures will feature Austria hosting Brazil in Vienna, England visiting Scotland at Celtic Park in Glasgow, France welcoming Sweden to Marseille, Poland challenging Switzerland, and Ireland squaring off against the USA.
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