“They will be highly motivated for this game, because in Greece, we Germans are seen as the main culprits for the problems that exist in their country,” retired goalkeeper Jens Lehman told Goal.com on Friday.
However, Samaras was quick to downplay the link between politics and his side’s crucial quarter-final match. CNN World Sports quoted the Greek key player as saying:
“What's going on between Greece and Germany politics wise – I really don't care. The only thing we're going to do is go on the pitch, enjoy the game and the best team will win. It has a meaning for sure, but we as footballers need to stay out of this story and stay focused on the football game only.”
Either way, the following fact cannot be hidden: the impact of the political crisis in Greece is being felt within the country’s football team. Portuguese coach Fernando Santos confessed through the microphone of CNN International:
“Look, the situation has affected us. The players have family, they have friends, and they worry about what is going on. I would say Greece is going through more than just a political or economic crisis.
“There is a social crisis, with a lot of unemployment. The players are human beings and they feel that. What I have asked them to do is to try to forget about that when they play and to focus just on football to show they are real fighters.”
The desire to beat Germany is so high that coach Fernando Santos fears that “extra motivation and more passion” will produce negative effects. “We need to think clearly during this game, and if we are led just by our hearts and our emotions, we will be in trouble,” Santos said.
Greece are surprise quarter-finalists at UEFA Euro 2012. Ousting Russia to survive was a tough feat to accomplish; yet, they did it. Their team is devoid of big names like the Ronaldos, the Rooneys or the Xavis but unity is the key to their success as Samaras underlined.
“We don’t have personal egos in the team, we don’t have a superstar. It’s so strong – that we care about each other outside the pitch - that’s going on the pitch and that's I think the strength we have as a team.”
The Greeks will have another chance to prove how united they are on Friday night at the PGE Arena Gdansk. Without their suspended captain, Giorgos Karagounis, the underdogs will try to bring down Joachim Lowe’s in-form Germans.
The latter are clear favourites to progress. Germany are on a record run of 14 consecutive victories in competitive international football. They hold a W5-D3-L0 advantage over Greece. Besides, the Germans have never failed to pass a quarter-final test at the European Championship. Analyzing the outcome of the clash, Jens Lehman told Goal.com:
“I am expecting the Greeks to pose us a problem for the first time in years. They did brilliantly on the pitch by reaching the quarter-finals.
“Their most important player, Giorgos Karagounis, will be missing, though, so I am still optimistic of progressing. They do not have enough quality to deny us a semi-final spot.”
However, as much as there is an end to every record, the Greeks will fancy their chances of triumphing. “We don’t play for ourselves or for the money. We play for the national team, we play for history and for the 11 million people back home and I want to give to them a smile,” Samaras wished.
It would be so wrong to underestimate the threat of the Euro 2004 champions. On the other hand, if Germany stretch their perfect run by beating Greece, tip the DFB Eleven to make it all the way to the final.
