Germany have a lot of respect for quarter-final opponents Spain but are not afraid and according to goalkeeper Manuel Neuer also ready to all the way at their Euro 2024 home tournament.
"We've been ready for the Euro title for some time now. I would of course be delighted if the final piece of the puzzle were to be put in place. We will give everything to be successful," Neuer told Magenta TV in an interview on Monday.
"We all have high hopes for this summer and we'll continue to work hard so that the excitement can be carried on even further."
Neuer helped Germany win the 2014 World Cup while Germany's last continental title dates back to 1996.
Germany must close down Spanish attack
Neuer as well as full backs Joshua Kimmich and David Raum are aware of the task ahead of them in Friday's blockbuster clash of the joint record three-time champions in Stuttgart.
"They run the ball well and are all strong finishers. We have to make sure we don't give them too much space and don't let them score," Neuer said.
Neuer emphasized the importance of being defensively stable and exploiting the team's offensive strengths.
"If we get those on track, we're always able to score goals. This has been seen in recent games," he said.
Raum wants Spain to be scared
Kimmich told reporters that Spain have "made the most stable impression so far, so it will be a tough one - for both sides."
Raum said that it's "a compliment" when people refer to the match-up in Stuttgart as an early final, but stressed: "I'm not cold sweating yet."
"We're trying to do it the other way round, so that the Spanish get scared," Raum added.
Spain are the only team with a perfect record at the tournament while Germany have three victories and a draw.
Germany last defeated Spain 36 years ago
Germany and Spain are tied as record Euros winners, with three titles each. The Germans face a task of almost historic football proportions, one that goes far beyond Kimmich and Raum's generation.
Germany's last win against Spain in a competitive match dates back to 36 years ago, when they last hosted the Euros in 1988. Rudi Völler, now the team's sporting director, scored a brace in the 2-0 group-stage win.
Spain beat Germany in their only previous two knock-out matches at big events, 1-0 victories in the Euro 2008 final and 2010 World Cup semi-finals.
Another bad memory for Germany fans is a Spanish 6-0 triumph in the 2020 Nations League. The last meeting meanwhile ended 1-1 in the 2022 World Cup group stage.
"If you want to win the tournament, there's no way around Spain. As a team, we have to find solutions," Kimmich said. "Of course we want to beat Spain in a tournament. Of course we want to right our own chapter, our own history."
Kimmich joked saying "perhaps we can bring Rudi on as a substitute," but stressed that they are confident thanks to the performance at the tournament so far (three wins and one draw) and the positive atmosphere throughout the country.
Germany will need to stop Spain's youngsters
Both Kimmich and Raum will have the tough task of holding down young Spain wingers Lamine Yamal (16) and Nico Williams (21).
Kimmich said that Barcelona's Yamal has a "brutal quality," but that "at the end of the day, even he can be cracked."
Raum, who surprisingly started at left back in place of Maximilian Mittelstädt in the last-16 win over Denmark, added that the entire Spanish squad has exceptional quality.
"It's quite brutal. For example, Dani Olmo is one of the key players at (my club) RB Leipzig and he is only a substitute for Spain. We'll figure out a good plan to face them and they will have some challenges as well," he said.
Neuer's knee issue not serious
Neuer meanwhile also said that after minor knee issues at the start of the tournament, he's now fit and ready for the upcoming tasks.
"I feel good and I look forward to every game we have. I hope there will be many more," he said.
