Germany have plenty of quality to unsettle Spain in their Euro 2024 quarter-final, captain Ilkay Gündogan and forward Leroy Sané said on Tuesday as preparations for the big match started without midfielder Emre Can.
"I believe that we definitely don't have to hide from Spain, we also have extreme qualities," Barcelona midfielder Gündogan told public broadcasters ARD.
"I think the Spaniards have more respect for us than they publicly admit."
Can should be fit but line-up unclear
Can, 30, was the only member of the 26-man squad missing from the training pitch in Herzogenaurach, with Germany citing stress management as the reason.
It was Germany's first training session since the 2-0 last-16 win over Denmark on Saturday. Players had been given two days to unwind.
Can seems likely to be fit for Friday's clash in Stuttgart. Centre back Jonathan Tah is also pushing to start after his suspension against Denmark let in the impressive Nico Schlotterbeck.
Left back David Raum fought his way into the team against the Danes but Maximilian Mittelstädt, who started in the group stage, is training hard. Playmaker Florian Wirtz, dropped in favour of Sané in the last 16, is in a similar situation.
Bayern Munich winger Sané said on Tuesday that coach Julian Nagelsmann has not yet indicated whether he will be again in the starting line-up against Spain.
"It's still not certain whether I will start or not," Sané said.
Tough game for Spain, too
Germany and Spain are tied as record Euros winners, with three titles each. But the Germans face a task of almost historic football proportions.
Germany's last win against Spain in a competitive match dates back 36 years, 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.
While Spain are the only side at the Euros in Germany to win all their games so far and look slight favourites over the hosts, Sané joined Gündogan by dismissing the idea that Germany are the clear underdogs.
"The Spanish also know that it won't be easy," he said, adding that the two teams "that have played the best football" so far would be facing each other.
"We only have finals from now on, everything is possible. In Spain, we have a very good opponent to see where we stand," he said.
The 6-0 defeat "hurt a lot," but he stressed that "it's the past. We have the chance to get to the next round, that is what matters more now. We will do everything for that."
Gündogan also confident
Gündogan will face Barca team-mates Pedri and Lamine Yamal, the latter having impressed so far on the wing at age 16.
Gündogan agreed that Yamal was a special talent "but that he still has to learn a lot" as well, citing defensive weaknesses.
But he also warned: "The problem is, if you lose the ball too quickly he is the main transition player for the Spaniards."
The captain said it will be "extremely important" which team can deal better with not having possession in a match featuring "two of the best three or four teams" of the tournament.
Former Germany goalkeeper Jens Lehmann, meanwhile, is tipping Nagelsmann's side.
"In terms of quality, they are perhaps a little better than us. But they are too small in height and they are very inexperienced," the 54-year-old told Welt TV.
Germany jerseys in high demand
Germany's success so far at their home Euros has meant demand for their jerseys has significantly exceeded the expectations of manufacturer Adidas, spokesperson Oliver Brüggen told dpa.
"We will sell more than three times as many jerseys as originally planned," Brüggen said.
The pink and purple away jersey was sold out on the Adidas website on Tuesday.
"To continue meeting the high demand, we are in daily communication with our partners regarding additional jersey quantities and will also produce more jerseys beyond the end of the tournament," Brüggen assured.
Toni Kroos, Jamal Musiala and Wirtz are among the players with the most jersey numbers sold.
