Ballack's calf-muscle worries Germany, amid general optimism

Jun 29, 2008, 17:47 GMT

Hamburg - The Berlin fan zone was closed after reaching its 500,000 capacity more than three hours ahead of Sunday's Euro 2008 final between Germany and Spain amid unconfirmed reports that captain Michael Ballack will be a starter after all.

The state of Ballack's right calf muscle was top news in Germany ever since his health problems were revealed the previous night.

But Ballack's problems did not stop Germany from enthusiasm an optimism as around half of the 82-million population was expected to watch the game at home, in fan zones, restaurants and bars.

'Ballack injured - We will still get the cup,' was the defiant headline of Bild am Sonntag, written over a German flag, with the coveted trophy on the left side of the page.

Bild am Sonntag devoted 20 pages to the Vienna final against Spain and was convinced that 'Spain fears our giants in the air.'

The paper spoke of an 'emergency plan with Schweini (Bastian Schweinsteiger) and (Tim) Borowski' in midfield should the team captain Ballack really not be fit to play.

Ballack's injury, which was announced on Saturday night, relegated US president George W Bush's proposed sanctions against Zimbabwe and plans for a nuclear power tax in Germany to secondary news in German television and radio news programmes.

Bild.de and the website of Der Spiegel then reported, without citing sources, that Ballack will play from the start. N24 television said that the captain had said himself that he wanted to play.

Earlier, N24 had quoted fans as saying that 'we can also win without Ballack' as the German team has been carried by a wave of euphoria back home into the final at the tournament in Austria and Switzerland.

According to Bild am Sonntag a vast majority of Germans believe that the team will bring home the cup for the official celebration in Berlin on Monday.

Citing a poll by the Emnid institute conducted after the lucky 3-2 semi-final win against Turkey, and before Ballack's injury was known, 72 per cent believe that Germany will win the final, 20 per cent say that Spain will claim prevail while six per cent are undecided.

'We all stand behind you,' said the front page headline of the Frankfurter Allgemeine Sonntagszeitung over a team photo, while Welt am Sonntag also carried a team photo and expressed its hope that the team will 'grab the bull by its horns.'

ARD television will not be surprised to have a new record rating in football as around 30 million Germans are expected to tune in. The semi-final win over Turkey drew an average of 29.43 million Germans to the screens at home or in restaurants and bars, with a peak of over 31 million.

The ratings don't include the public viewing areas which could welcome another 10 million Germans.

The Berlin fan zone was filled to its capacity long before the match with a spokeswoman saying the fans 'are standing shoulder by shoulder.' Hamburg's public viewing area accommodating around 40,000 was also expected to be full early.

In case of victory Germans were expected to launch a huge nationwide street party into the early hours of Monday, in delight about what would be the first big football title in a dozen years since Euro 1996.