International Friendly: Hosts Looking for Greece Gifts on Eve of Tournament

Germany vs Greece

There’s little more than a week until hosts Germany kick off Euro 2024.

For some players, that may mean just keeping fresh and not overexerting before the competitive action begins.

Yet with players vying to get into Julian Nagelsmann’s starting XI against Scotland in the June 14 opener, this international friendly will certainly be of extra importance to those on the fringes.

While Greece have nothing but pride to play for, they have often enjoyed giving the giants of the international game a scare and, in some cases, a bloodied nose, so perhaps we can expect some international friendly highlights in Monchengladbach on Friday.

Talking Points

Germany will have a point to prove in front of their own fans after being held to a goalless draw by Ukraine in a warm-up match on Monday.

The spoils were shared in Nuremberg with neither side able to find the breakthrough at Max-Morlock-Stadion, only the second time Germany have failed to score against Ukraine in their 10 meetings to date.

It also reminded doubters of the unimpressive statistic which shows they have won just five of their 14 matches since the 2022 World Cup.

So, if this new-look Germany is ready for lift-off, the next month will be a key indicator.

Nagelsmann certainly has reasons to be optimistic.

For a start, playing in front of partisan crowds and a German public roaring them on will provide extra incentive.

He looks to have settled on a winning formula that gets the best out of Jamal Musiala and Florian Wirtz, as well as Kai Havertz.

Wirtz, Robert Andrich and Jonathan Tah, all of whom are part of Nagelsmann’s Euro squad, were all integral to the superb achievements of Bayer Leverkusen who recently became the first team to end a Bundesliga season unbeaten, while they also won the German Cup and reached the Europa League final.

At the age of 21, Wirtz helped turn the perennial runners-up into invincble Bundesliga champions and it’s hard to think he has already played more than 100 Bundesliga games and is one of the best dribblers Germany have ever had.

No fewer than five members of the VfB Stuttgart team that finished runners-up and qualified for the Champions League are also included in the squad.

And then there are three players who were part of the squad that lifted the 2014 World Cup. Manuel Neuer, Toni Kroos – playing the final games of his career after recently announcing his retirement at the end of the tournament – and Thomas Müller have all featured more than 100 times each for their country and will be able to lead by example for those younger than them.

Add in Pascal Gross who, in only his sixth senior appearance for the national team on Monday night, did his chances of featuring regularly this summer no harm with a fine display in the middle of the park, and you can see why there are plenty of options at the hosts’ disposal.

That mix of exciting youth and experience have the potential to make it a summer to remember for Germany.

First though for the final warm-up.

History

Greece have never defeated Germany, although they have managed three draws – not since a goalless draw at Euro 80 mind, a group stage stalemate against the then West Germany who reached the final as a result and went onto be crowned European champions.

Their very first meeting came in a World Cup qualifier in Athens in 1960 when Gerd Dorfel, Albert Brulls and Helmut Haller scored the goals in a 3-0 West German victory.

Their most recent meeting came at Euro 2012 in an exciting quarter-final tie which Germany won 4-2.

Germany took a deserved 39^th minute lead through Philipp Lahm and, although Giorgos Samaras’ equaliser 10 minutes after the restart hinted at something unexpected, Joachim Löw’s men reasserted their authority as Sami Khedira, Miroslav Klose and Marco Reus all found the net prior to Dimitris Salpingidis’ late spot-kick.

Betting Tip

You cannot not back the Germans at home really.

That is reflected in the SBOTOP international friendly betting odds too.

The hosts are on offer in a number of ways including First Half 1X2 @ 1.64, First Half Asian Handicap -0.75 @ 1.97, 1X2 @ 1.25 and Asian Handicap -1.50 @ 1.79.

A Greece success or even a draw will be worth a tidy pay day.

Options on the 2004 European Champions range from First Half 1X2 @ 6.30 and First Half Asian Handicap +0.75 @ 1.79 to 1X2 @ 6.80 and Asian Handicap +1.50 @ 1.97.

The draw is up for grabs at an attractive @ 4.81.

Goal options are plentiful too such as Over 3.00 @ 1.81, Total Goals 0-1 @ 4.95 and 4-6 @ 2.55.

A re-run of their last meeting will pay out @ 46.00 with Correct Score 4-2.

I do think there will be a few goals and my ** prediction is Total Goals 2-3 @ 2.10.

 

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