Germany expect to be at full strength for Italy

By Barry Whelan Jul 2, 2006, 16:17 GMT

Berlin - Germany expect to be at full strength for Tuesday's semi-final against Italy after captain Michael Ballack and striker Miroslav Klose were pronounced fit Sunday for the match in Dortmund.

Ballack suffered severe cramp in the taxing quarter-final victory on penalties over Argentina, while goalscorer Klose was also replaced in the 86th minute, also suffering from cramp.

'There are no doubts that both will be fit for Tuesday's game,' said assistant coach Joachim Loew.

The hosts have no other fitness worries and are now concentrating on regenerative training ahead of the game, Loew said. An afternoon training session Sunday was cancelled at short notice, and the players instead took part in a fitness session at the team base.

Loew said the players remained fully fit despite the 120 minutes against Argentina, and would have no trouble going another extra-time against Italy if necessary.

Both Ballack and Klose's muscle problems arose from knocks during the game. Klose had collided with goalkeeper Roberto Abbondanzieri. 'He suffered a blow to his calf which was bruised, and as a result the muscle cramped up later in the game,' said Loew.

Ballack's problem was partly caused by lack of full training at the beginning of the tournament when he was suffering from a calf strain.

'But Ballack did an enormous amount of running during the game,' Loew said. 'The work he did in midfield with Torsten Frings was incredible. The way he kept coming back in extra-time despite the cramp and gave the team a signal he was still there as captain was really admirable.'

Germany have four players on yellow cards going into the semi-final: Frings, defender Arne Friedrich and strikers Lukas Podolski and David Odonkor.

Loew said this would not influence Germany's approach to the match, but he was giving nothing away on team selection. It is, however, thought unlikely coach Juergen Klinsmann will want to change what is now a settled side.

Loew warned that Italy have become a stronger team at the World Cup as a result of the country's match-rigging scandal and the apparent suicide attempt of former international Gianluca Pessotto.

'You can feel that this has welded them together,' he said.

'Some of the players have visited Pessotto in hospital and supported his family. They are showing they have had to take a lot and want to demonstrate how good they are. Out of this a good team spirit has been growing.'

Italy's World Cup campaign has been overshadowed by a match-rigging probe. Many Azzurri players fear their clubs could be relegated from Serie A as proceedings against Juventus, AC Milan, Fiorentina and Lazio began this week.

Pessotto was a team-mate and friend of several players in the squad. Striker Alessandro Del Piero and defender Gianluca Zambrotta were given time off by team officials to visit the 35-year-old in hospital in Turin.

Loew said he expected Italy to adopt a cautious tactical approach against Germany.

Italy have proven 'not only in the last six weeks, perhaps the last six years, even the last 60 years' that they are in a position to keep their calm in every situation, stay strong in defence and be content to wait patiently for the chance to score, he said. . 'I don't think they will give up their tactical concept in this game. They are aware they have a strong defence and believe they can score a goal at some point in the game without conceding one themselves.'

Defender Christoph Metzelder said: 'They are well organized, particularly in defence. I don't believe we'll get many goal chances and it is up to us to make sure they also don't get many opportunities.'