Germans jittery but fully fit for Euro 2012

Euro Cup

Germany might be getting last minute nerves ahead of their Euro 2012 opener against Portugal Saturday but the tournament favourites are fully fit and psychologically ready for action, coach Joachim Loew said Friday.

The Germans are raring to go one better than the last championships in 2008, when they lost 0-1 to Spain in the final, and Loew admitted the jitters had set in. "There is nervousness," he said ahead of his team's training session at Arena Lviv in Ukraine. "There are always nerves. It's good for the players, for their performance."


Most of the pre-match speculation has centred on who might get the nod in attack between Lazio marksman Miroslav Klose and Bayern Munich goal machine Mario Gomez.

Loew wouldn't let on, but admitted "for me, the decisions are pretty much made".

"I'll take a look (at all the players) in the last training session" Saturday, he said.

Loew recognised Real Madrid forward Cristiano Ronaldo would be the Germans' main threat.

"Ronaldo is of course the star," he said. "Of course, he is fantastic, and he can decide a game on his own, but there are other players", such as Manchester United winger Nani.

Loew has the luxury of a fully fit squad for the tournament.

"We don't have any health issues. There are none. All the players are fit, they can play."

Germany are drawn in Group B, nicknamed the group of death, also with 2010 World Cup finalists the Netherlands and Denmark, who won Euro 92. (IANS)