[ToRn]

Euro 2008
Ernst Happel, Vienna
Sunday, June 29
Kick off: 19:45 BST


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Spain will seek to end their 44-year wait for silverware
when they take on Germany in the final of UEFA EURO 2008™ in Vienna.





• Spain's sole previous success on the international stage came in 1964, when as hosts
they defeated the USSR to win the UEFA European Championship.

• Standing in their way, however, are the most formidable opponents in the history of the competition.
Germany are competing in a record sixth final – and aiming to lift the Henri Delaunay trophy
for the fourth time after earlier triumphs in 1972, 1980 and 1996.

• Joachim Löw's Germany reached the final by defeating Turkey 3-2
in a compelling semi-final contest in Basel on Wednesday.

After falling behind to


Uğur Boral's 22nd-minute strike


Bastian Schweinsteiger drew Germany level

four minutes later.


Miroslav Klose's 79th-minute header

then sparked a frantic finale in which


Semih Şentürk drew Turkey level again

before


Philipp Lahm's last-minute winner.

• Spain followed Germany into the final 24 hours later with a resounding 3-0 victory against Russia in Vienna.

Luis Aragonés's men did not look back after


Xavi Hernández had volleyed them in front

five minutes into the second period,
adding further goals through


Daniel Güiza (73)

and


David Silva (82)

• If Spain can take the final step and defeat Germany,
their coach Aragonés will become the oldest man to guide a team to UEFA European Championship glory.

He will be 69 years and 337 days on the day of the final.

• Spain are aiming to become the first team since France in 1984
to capture the UEFA European Championship following a clean sweep of wins in the group stage.


• They began impressively with



David Villa


scoring a hat-trick


in a 4-1 defeat of Russia

With his three goals (20, 44, 75), Villa became the first player since 2000
to score a hat-trick on this illustrious stage before setting up the fourth goal for


Cesc Fàbregas (90+1)

after


Roman Pavlyuchenko (86)

had reduced the deficit.

• Spain then beat Sweden 2-1 in their second Group D outing,


Villa scoring the winner

two minutes into added time after


Fernando Torres (15)

and


Zlatan Ibrahimović (34)

had swapped goals.

With that success, Spain secured first place in the section and maintained their momentum
by then defeating Greece 2-1


through a Güiza strike

two minutes from the end after


Rubén de la Red (61)

had cancelled out


Angelos Charisteas's first-half effort

• Spain strengthened the feeling that this might be their year
by overcoming world champions Italy in the quarter-finals.

No Spanish team had beaten Italy in a competitive fixture since 1920 but Aragonés's side laid to rest that hoodoo
with a 4-2 penalty shoot-out victory after a goalless draw.

• After Iker Casillas had saved penalties from


Daniele De Rossi

and


Antonio Di Natale



Fàbregas stepped up

to send Spain into the last four.

Of Spain's four other takers,


Villa


Santi Cazorla

and


Marcos Senna

all scored before


Güiza was foiled by Gianluigi Buffon

• With four goals, Spain striker Villa leads the scorers' chart
ahead of the final and could become the first player since Marco van Basten
in 1988
to celebrate winning the trophy and finish outright top scorer at the same time.

• Germany began their campaign in Group B by defeating Poland 2-0 through two goals from



Lukas Podolski



but they then suffered a hiccup when losing 2-1 to Croatia,


Podolski's 79th-minute effort

scant consolation after


Darijo Srna

and


Ivica Olić

had struck for the opposition.

• Löw's men recovered sufficient composure to defeat co-hosts Austria 1-0 in Vienna, through


Michael Ballack's second-half free-kick

and claim second place in the section and they then raised to game to eliminate Portugal in the quarter-finals.

Germany raced into a 2-0 lead through goals from


Schweinsteiger

and


Klose

and although


Nuno Gomes pulled one back


Ballack's headed third

ensured a German victory despite Hélder Postiga's late reply for Portugal.

• Germany have won three and lost two of their five previous UEFA European Championship finals.
German supporters of a superstitious bent may want to avoid studying their sequence of results,
given each final victory (1972, 1980, 1996) has so far been followed by a defeat (1976, 1992).

• As West Germany, the Mannschaft claimed the Henri Delaunay trophy for the first time by defeating the USSR 3-0
in Brussels in 1972, Gerd Müller (27, 58) and Herbert Wimmer (52) the scorers.

• Four years later the Germans went down 5-3 on penalties to Czechoslovakia following a 2-2 draw in Belgrade
but they bounced back in 1980 with a 2-1 final triumph against Belgium in Rome. Horst Hrubech was hero,
getting the winner two minutes from time after René Vandereycken (75) had cancelled out his tenth-minute opener.

• After losing the 1992 final to Denmark in Gothenburg, Germany celebrated a third European crown at the next tournament in England.
Oliver Bierhoff, now the Mannschaft's team manager, was the hero at Wembley, cancelling out Patrik Berger's penalty (59)
with a 73rd-minute header before striking the winner five minutes into extra time with the first-ever golden goal.

• This is the third time Spain have contested the final of the UEFA European Championship.

• Spain lifted the Henri Delaunay trophy in 1964 when they beat reigning champions USSR 2-1 in Madrid.
'Chus' Pereda opened the scoring for Spain inside six minutes at the Santiago Bernabéu and although Galimzian Khusainov
drew the Soviets level two minutes later, Marcelino made sure of a home triumph with Spain's second goal after 84 minutes.

• Twenty years later they lost the 1984 final to hosts France, succumbing to goals from
Michel Platini (57) and Bruno Bellone (90) at the Parc des Princes.

• Germany have had the better of the sides' head-to-head meetings, recording eight wins to Spain's five, with six matches drawn.

• Spain won the most recent encounter 3-1 in Palma de Mallorca on 12 February 2003.
Raúl González opened the scoring after 32 minutes and although Fredi Bobic (38) equalised for Germany,
Raúl restored Spain's advantage with a 77th-minute penalty before Guti (83) added a third.

• The teams that day were:


Spain:

Iker Casillas (Santiago Cañizares 84), Míchel Salgado, Carles Puyol, César Martín (Iván Helguera 46), Agustín Aranzábal, Joaquín Sánchez (Jose María Etxeberría 69),
David Albelda, Rubén Baraja (Guti 74), Vicente Rodríguez, Raúl González (José Mari 84), Diego Tristán (Xavi Hernández 74).

Germany:

Oliver Kahn, Arne Friedrich, Christian Wörns, Christoph Metzelder, Tobias Rau (Frank Baumann 51, Hannko Balitsch 62), Bernd Schneider (Paul Freier 74),
Jens Jeremies, Carsten Ramelow, Jorg Böhme, Fredi Bobic (Benjamin Lauth 59), Miroslav Klose (Oliver Neuville 82).

• Ballack is the only survivor from the last occasion Germany beat Spain, a 4-1 victory for the Mannschaft in Hannover
in August 2000, when Alexander Zickler and Mehmet Scholl struck two goals apiece.

• Germany have won three of the rivals' five previous encounters in major final tournaments.

• In UEFA European Championship final tournaments, though, it is honours even.
Hosts West Germany defeated Spain 2-0 in the group stage in 1988 through two Rudi Völler goals,
while four years previously Spain secured a last-gasp 1-0 victory against the Germans at the same stage of the competition.

Antonio Maceda's 90th-minute header in Paris sent the Spanish into the semi-finals at the expense of the eliminated holders.

• On the FIFA World Cup stage, Germany came from behind to send Spain home from the 1966 finals,
winning 2-1 in their deciding group game.

The Mannschaft also ended Spain's interest in the 1982 World Cup after beating the hosts 2-1 in the second group stage.
It finished 1-1 when the teams met for the third time in the World Cup in the first round at USA '94.

• As a player, Spain coach Aragonés did not enjoy good fortune against German opposition.
He scored for Club Atlético de Madrid in the 1974 European Champion Clubs' Cup final against FC Bayern München in Brussels
but the German side snatched a 120th-minute equaliser and went on to win the replay 4-0.

• Aragonés had earlier played in the Atlético side defeated 2-1 on aggregate by BV Borussia Dortmund
in the UEFA Cup Winners' Cup quarter-finals in 1965/66.

• His first engagement with German opposition as a coach came in the 1975/76 UEFA Cup Winners' Cup
second round against Eintracht Frankfurt, Aragonés's Atlético side going down 2-1 at home and 1-0 away.

There was more disappointment in store against Hamburger SV in the semi-finals of the same competition the next season,
when Atlético's 3-1 first-leg win was undone by a 3-0 reverse in Germany.

• Aragonés also tasted defeat with Atlético against 1. FC Dynamo Dresden in 1979/80 UEFA Cup first round
and it was not until 1996/97 that he enjoyed his first success against a German club, his Valencia CF side
running out 3-1 aggregate winners against then holders Bayern in the UEFA Cup first round.

More disappointment was just around the corner, however, FC Schalke 04 defeating Valencia 3-1
over two legs in the quarter-finals en route to lifting the trophy.

• Germany coach Löw, by contrast, has never before met Spanish opposition as a head coach or player in official competition.

• Germany captain Ballack is aiming to avoid an unwanted double having finished on the losing side
with Chelsea FC in last month's UEFA Champions League final.

• Only four players previously have made up for defeat in a European Cup final by winning the continental title
in the same year with their country: Ignacio Zoco and Amancio Amaro (1964, Real Madrid CF and Spain)
and Manny Kaltz and Hörst Hrubesch (1980, Hamburg and West Germany).

• Ballack has also experienced losing a final against Spanish opposition when Bayer 04 Leverkusen
went down 2-1 to Real Madrid at the conclusion of the 2001/02 UEFA Champions League campaign.

Spain goalkeeper Casillas finished on the opposing side that day after taking the field as a 68th-minute substitute.

• Germany goalkeeper Jens Lehmann suffered the same fate as Ballack with Arsenal FC
in the 2005/06 UEFA Champions League final against an FC Barcelona side featuring Spanish internationals
Carles Puyol and Andrés Iniesta.

Xavi was an unused Barcelona substitute that night, while his Spain midfield colleague Fàbregas featured in the Arsenal team.

• Lehmann and Fàbregas are not the only rivals in Vienna with a club connection.
Germany defender Christoph Metzelder is a team-mate of Spain duo Casillas and Sergio Ramos at Real Madrid CF,
while Germany winger David Odonkor plays in the same Real Betis Balompié side as Spain centre-back Juanito.

• Germany have been involved in six penalty shoot-outs down the years. They lost the first against Czechoslovakia
in the 1976 UEFA European Championship final but won the next five, beating France (1982 World Cup),
Mexico (1986 World Cup), England (1990 World Cup), England (EURO '96™) and Argentina (2006 World Cup).

• Spain's shoot-out win against Italy was their third in six attempts. They beat Denmark 5-4 on penalties
in the 1984 UEFA European Championship semi-finals but lost to Belgium in the 1986 World Cup quarter-finals
and to England at the same stage of EURO '96™.

After beating the Republic of Ireland on spot-kicks in the last 16 of the 2002 World Cup, in the next round
they succumbed 5-3 in a shoot-out against Korea Republic.

• Xavi, Puyol, Joan Capdevila and Carlos Marchena were part of the Spain team beaten on penalties
by Cameroon in the final of the 2000 Men's Olympic Football Tournament.

Xavi and Capdevila scored the first two kicks for a Spain side beaten 5-3 in the shoot-out after a 2-2 draw.

• Torres scored the only goal of the 2002 UEFA European Under-19 Championship final against Germany in Oslo.
Iniesta was also in the Spain team while Germany's side included Piotr Trochowski, Lahm and Odonkor.
Twelve months earlier, Torres had struck the winner for Spain's U16s when they beat France 1-0 to claim the European title.

• Pepe Reina was in the Spain team that prevailed 4-0 against Germany in the semi-finals of the UEFA European U16 Championship in 1999.
Thomas Hitzlsperger was on the losing team and the Spanish went on to beat Poland 4-1 in the final.

• Casillas helped Spain to a 2-1 win against Germany in the U16 semi-finals in 1997
before they subsequently defeated Austria on penalties in the final.

• At U17 level, Fàbregas was in the Spain side that lost 2-1 to France in the 2004 final,
while Silva was in the team beaten by Portugal by the same scoreline a year earlier.

• This is the 13th edition of the UEFA European Championship. The rundown of previous finals is:

1960 USSR 2-1 Yugoslavia
1964 Spain 2-1 Russia
1968 Italy 2-1 Yugoslavia (replay after 1-1 draw)
1972 West Germany 3-0 USSR
1976 Czechoslovakia 2-2 West Germany (5-3 on penalties)
1980 West Germany 2-1 Belgium
1984 France 2-0 Spain
1988 Netherlands 2-0 USSR
1992 Denmark 2-0 Germany
1996 Germany 2-1 Czech Republic
2000 France 2-1 Italy
2004 Greece 1-0 Portugal

• Poland and Ukraine will stage the UEFA EURO 2012™ finals.



...:::-----------------------------------------------------:::...

Officials

Referee

Roberto Rosetti (ITA)

Assistant referee 1
Alessandro Griselli (ITA)

Assistant referee 2
Paolo Calcagno (ITA)

Fourth official
Peter Fröjdfeldt (SWE)

Reserve assistant referee
Stefan Wittberg (SWE)

UEFA Referee observer
Jaap Uilenberg (NED)

[Mark]

Euro 2008 - Germany v Spain preview


Final - 29 June 2008 | 20:45 Local Time | Venue: Vienna - Ernst Happel


Germany will be sweating on the fitness of captain Michael Ballack as they prepare to face Spain the Euro 2008 final.

Originally Posted by eurosport.yahoo.com

Ballack, Germany's inspirational figure for much of Euro 2008, missed training on Friday and Saturday to nurse a calf injury and will have a fitness test before the game.

His absence would be a major blow to Germany's hopes of a fourth European title. The midfielder's match-winning goals against Austria in the group stage and Portugal in the quarter-finals ensured their progress in the tournament.

If Ballack fails to recover in time it would leave coach Joachim Loew contemplating a major reshuffle of his midfield.

There is no obvious replacement for a player who missed the 2002 World Cup final through suspension. Loew said Tim Borowski or Bastian Schweinsteiger might take over.

Schweinsteiger is certain to start, whatever his position. Along with fellow attacking midfielder Lukas Podolski and striker Miroslav Klose, he would have an extra goalscoring burden on him if Ballack missed out against a buoyant Spain.

Luis Aragones's men have been the most entertaining side at the tournament, driven forward by a midfield blend of pace, flair and ball skills that have run their opponents ragged.

Having dispensed with world champions Italy on penalties, Cesc Fabregas, along with Barcelona pair Andres Iniesta and Xavi, turned Russia inside out in a 3-0 semi-final victory.

They will look to reproduce their neat short-passing game and possession football to inflict the same fatal fatigue on Germany, who would do well to remember the words of Russia coach Guus Hiddink.

"For an hour we could move and after that it was...very difficult to play them," lamented the Dutchman. "They know if they keep on touching the ball, at the end the opponent is getting fatigued and then they know they can score."

With David Villa almost certainly ruled out by injury, Fernando Torres is set to be the lone striker as Spain bid for a second European title after their 1964 success on home soil.

Euro 2008 - Tactics: Germany v Spain


A look at the formations, strengths and weaknesses of Germany and Spain ahead of Sunday's Euro 2008 final at Vienna's Ernst Happel stadium.

Originally Posted by eurosport.yahoo.com

FORMATIONS

Germany coach Joachim Loew has to decide whether to stick with the 4-5-1 formation that worked well against Portugal but not so well against Turkey, or revert to his favoured 4-4-2. Spain's Luis Aragones stayed solidly with 4-4-2 all tournament but admitted that the switch to 4-5-1 after David Villa's injury turned the semi-final and it seems likely he will run with it and give a rare start to Cesc Fabregas.



STRENGTHS

Germany's mindset should be an advantage. Their players grew up watching their compatriots competing in finals and should not be fazed by the occasion. As they showed in the last-gasp semi-final win, they always play to the final whistle. Spain's main strength is their technical quality, their familiarity and confidence in each other and a system that has taken them on a 21-match unbeaten run.



WEAKNESSES

Germany were unusually ragged and defensively vulnerable for long spells against Turkey. Goalkeeper Jens Lehmann, 38, also looked past his sell-by date. Spain have little aerial power either in attack or defence, though it has not troubled them unduly so far.



DEFENCE

Germany's keeper and back four are vastly experienced yet there were some worried looks between them as they struggled to plug the holes against Turkey. Central defenders Per Mertesacker and Christoph Metzelder love a big centre forward to take on but will be less happy trying to track Fabregas and Andres Iniesta pushing up from midfield. The Spanish defence has not attracted the headlines but has been resilient and efficient. Goalkeeper Iker Casillas and centre back Carles Puyol have barely put a foot wrong while right back Sergio Ramos has a huge appetite for work with his overlapping forays.



MIDFIELD

Michael Ballack had a game to forget against Turkey but he is a man who revels in the big occasion and will take it as a personal challenge to dominate the key area of Sunday's battle (if he is fit). Wide men Bastian Schweinsteiger (pictured in hat) and Lukas Podolski are both having great tournaments and look a constant goal threat while Torsten Frings will add some power if, as expected, he returns to the starting line-up. Spain's midfield eventually wore Russia down with their accurate passing and hard work and the addition of Fabregas brings guile and also freed Xavi to become more adventurous. The whole unit played at a much crisper pace against Russia than they did in the goalless quarter-final against Italy.



ATTACK

With a goal in each of the last two games Miroslav Klose is beginning to regain the confidence that made him the 2006 World Cup's top scorer and his spring-heeled heading ability will be something Germany will look to exploit. As a sole striker Fernando Torres will spend most of his time as a running outlet for his midfielders rather than hovering menacingly in the box. As in the semi, the fresh legs of Spanish league top scorer Daniel Guiza will probably take over during the second half.

Euro 2008 - Germany v Spain: Route to the final


Ahead of Sunday's final Euro 2008, we take a look at how Germany and Spain booked their places for the showpiece event in Vienna.

Originally Posted by eurosport.yahoo.com

SPAIN


Group D


Spain 4 Russia 1

Spain make their best start at a European Championship finals with David Villa scoring a hat-trick. Russia pull a goal back late on but Cesc Fabregas comes off the bench to complete the scoring with a diving header after good work from Villa.


Sweden 1 Spain 2

Villa grabs a stoppage-time winner as Spain qualify for the quarter-finals as group winners. Fernando Torres opens the scoring, but Swedish coach Lars Lagerback is left fuming after claiming Villa's late strike should have been disallowed for a foul earlier in the move.


Greece 1 Spain 2

Spain coach Luis Aragones decides to make 10 changes to his team for their final Group D match. Holders Greece take the lead but Daniel Guiza's first goal for his country means Spain join Turkey as the only teams to have won from a losing position in the tournament.


Quarter-finals


Spain 0 Italy 0 aet Spain win 4-2 on penalties

Spain play the better football but need a penalty shootout to beat world champions Italy and reach the last four of a major tournament for the first time in 24 years. Captain and goalkeeper Iker Casillas is the hero, saving twice in the shootout.


Semi-finals


Russia 0 Spain 3

A repeat of the opening Group D match of the tournament brings another victory by a three-goal margin for the Spanish. Luis Aragones's team overcome the loss of the tournament's leading scorer David Villa after 35 minutes to cruise to victory and their first final in 24 years. Xavi, Daniel Guiza and David Silva are all on the scoresheet as Villa's replacement Cesc Fabregas proves instrumental in victory.





GERMANY


Group B


Germany 2 Poland 0

Germany produce a slick opening Group B performance with two goals from Polish-born striker turned midfielder Lukas Podolski clinching a first win at a European Championship finals in 12 years.


Croatia 2 Germany 1

Croatia upset the group favourites with a well-deserved 2-1 victory in Klagenfurt. Podolski scores his third of the tournament late on in an erratic display from the Germans. Substitute Bastian Schweinsteiger became the first player to be sent off in the tournament for pushing Jerko Leko in stoppage time.


Austria 0 Germany 1

A stunning free-kick from captain Michael Ballack at the start of the second half puts Germany through to the quarter-finals despite having coach Joachim Loew sent-off shortly before halftime. .


Quarter-final


Portugal 2 Germany 3

Bastian Schweinsteiger returns from suspension to inspire a much-improved German performance led by assistant coach Hansi Flick following Joachim Loew's one-match touchline ban. The midfielder scores the first after a cross from the left by Lukas Podolski and his two free-kicks set up goals for Miroslav Klose and Michael Ballack to seal a semi-final berth.


Semi-final


Germany 3 Turkey 2

Germany were heavy favourites to beat injury and suspension ravaged Turkey but fell behind to an early goal from Ugur Boral and were lucky not to be trailing by more after a sluggish start. Bastian Schweinsteiger's neat finish draws Germany level against the run of play and Miroslav Klose beat Turkey goalkeeper Rustu Recber to the ball to put Germany ahead 2-1. Poor defending from fullback Philipp Lahm led to Turkey equalising four minutes from time, but he redeems himself by finishing off a neat move in the 90th minute to send Germany through to their sixth European Championship final.

Euro 2008 - Teams focus on final goal


Germany and Spain will be busy drawing up battle plans on Friday as they prepare for this weekend's meeting in the Euro 2008 final.

Originally Posted by eurosport.yahoo.com

Germany were the bookmakers' favourites before the tournament and coach Joachim Loew will be looking to vindicate that with a better performance than in Wednesday's tortuous 3-2 semi-final win over Turkey.

Loew needs to make the most of the time left at their Swiss training camp at Tenero after his team were kept on the back foot by the Turks and needed Philipp Lahm's 90th minute strike to reach Sunday's final in Vienna.

But their coach was heartened by his team's determination not to be swayed from their target of a fourth European crown after Semih Senturk nipped in for an 86th minute equaliser.

"After coming so far we obviously want to win and we're going to bring our winning mentality into the final," said Loew, who has three key players on top attacking form in Lukas Podolski, Miroslav Klose and Bastian Schweinsteiger.

Now the homework will start on Sunday's opponents after Spain gave Russia yet another drubbing in Thursday's semi-final at the Austrian capital's Ernst Happel stadium.

Having trounced them 4-1 in their opening group game in Innsbruck back on June 10, Luis Aragones's side gave the Russians a 3-0 pasting to reach the final.

Xavi, Daniel Guiza and David Silva got the goals but midfielder Cesc Fabregas was the architect of the victory, replacing the injured David Villa after 35 minutes and laying on Spain's second and third goals.

The only disappointment on the night for Spain was the discovery that, having scored four goals at Euro 2008, Villa's injury is set to rule the tournament's top scorer out of the final.

Unique stage for medal ceremony


The presentation of the medals and the Henri Delaunay trophy at Sunday's UEFA EURO 2008™ final at the Ernst-Happel-Stadion in Vienna will take place in the VIP tribune – in line with the tradition UEFA has reinstated in the past year.

Originally Posted by uefa.com

Unique stage

The unusual proximity of the heart of the VIP section to the pitch allows for an original and unique set-up: a stage reaching out from the tribune. Painted in the Swiss and Austrian national colours of red and white, it will be reminiscent of a viewing platform in the mountains and can be accessed from both sides via a double staircase. The designers were inspired by the Strudlhofstiege, an outdoor double staircase in the Vienna suburb of Alsergrund, built to a design by Johann Theodor Jaeger.


Sensational pyrotechnics

The trophy will sit in a jewellery-like box that can be raised and lowered like a lift in the centre of the upper part of the stage – at all times through the match visible to fans, TV viewers, journalists and players from all directions. The whole ceremony will be accompanied by light effects and music. The climax of the event, when UEFA President Michel Platini hands over the trophy to the captain of the winning team, will be crowned by sensational pyrotechnic effects.


Concept

The overall concept was put together by Uniplan Switzerland AG after being commissioned by UEFA. The Basel-based live communication agency turned to Carlo Angelini from Angelini Design. He is a well-known Italian television set and production designer based in Zurich, who has already produced a number of stage designs in the sporting field, including the setting for five UEFA Champions League draw ceremonies in Monaco, and the set of the draw for UEFA EURO 2008™ Lucerne last December.

Fitting finale for superb tournament


Spain can end a 44-year wait to be crowned European champions if they reproduce their semi-final form in Sunday's final against Germany.

Originally Posted by eurosport.yahoo.com

While the Spaniards were brilliant in their 3-0 win against Russia, Germany will have to play far better than they did in their 3-2 semi-final win over Turkey in Basel on Wednesday if they are to win the title for the fourth time.

Despite that dip in form against the Turks, Germany were outstanding in their quarter-final victory over Portugal and a double over the Iberian countries would give them the European crown for the first time since 1996.

An outstanding tournament has produced two worthy finalists at the Ernst Happel stadium who should cap three glorious weeks of soccer with a fitting finale.

Germany coach Joachim Loew said his team would be able to enjoy the final after playing through the pressure of two knockout rounds in Basel.

"The pressure we've been under is now off to a certain extent," Loew said at a news conference on Thursday.

"We're in the final now and we have a lot to win on Sunday." He said, though, that the six-day gap without a match between their quarter and semi-finals deprived them of their momentum.

"I think it's better when you play every three or four days. The long break before the Turkey game didn't do us any good," he admitted.

Loew is likely to stick with the 4-5-1 formation that served them so well against Portugal and, in the end, saw them sneak home against Turkey.

The one difference in the side is likely to be the return of Torsten Frings, who missed the Portugal game after cracking a rib in the team's final Group B game against Austria and had to be content with a substitute's role against Turkey.

Frings did well when coming on for the second half against the Turks when he replaced the injured Simon Rolfes.

There will be key battles all over the field, but the most fascinating will be in midfield between Germany captain Michael Ballack and Spain's Cesc Fabregas, who is expected to start because David Villa is likely to miss out with a foot injury.

"We've made it and now everybody is expecting us to do something big," Fabregas said after Spain beat Russia.

Spanish coach Luis Aragones, who turns 70 next month and was the oldest of the 16 coaches that began the tournament, will be taking charge of Spain for the last time on Sunday.

It will be Spain's first final since losing to France in Paris in the 1984 European Championship.

Despite decades of producing great players, Spain's only major tournament victory came at the 1964 European Championship when they beat Russia's predecessors, the Soviet Union, in the final in Madrid.

Germany will also be hoping to end an odd sequence that has seen them win and lose finals alternately. After winning in 1972, they lost in 1976, before winning again in 1980, losing in 1992 and winning again in 1996.

Despite those defeats, their impressive overall major tournament history is a powerful motivating factor for them, as is Spain's for Aragones's men -- for very different reasons.

Coaches anticipate Vienna thriller


Germany coach Joachim Löw and his Spain counterpart Luis Aragonés are both hoping UEFA EURO 2008™ will come to a suitably exciting conclusion as their sides prepare to meet in the final this evening.

Originally Posted by uefa.com

'Intensive match'

The first 30 games of the tournament have yielded 76 goals, and the coaches are optimistic that pattern will continue at the Ernst-Happel-Stadion. Germany's Joachim Löw – whose side won 3-2 in both the quarter- and semi-finals against Portugal and Turkey respectively and are looking for their fourth European title – is anticipating an open encounter. "It's going to be a very intensive match," he said. "Both Spain and Germany have good players and like to go forward so it's going to be very interesting. We tried to make certain corrections after we lost to Croatia [in the group stage], but when we're against a team who play attacking football we can reach that level and keep up. Technically speaking, both teams have strong offensive players. It will be a fast, flexible and variable match."


'Long hard road'

German hopes would be damaged by the absence of Michael Ballack, who has missed training for the last two days due to a calf problem, while Thorsten Frings should replace Simon Rolfes in midfield. Despite the doubts surrounding the participation of his captain, Löw is in bullish mood, confidently proclaiming: "I expect to win, of course. We have a long, hard road behind us over the past few weeks. This tournament was tough for all players and all teams, it took up a lot of strength but now we're in the final and we're going to gather all our efforts to win and take the cup back to Germany."


Contrasting fortunes

While Germany are familiar faces at this level – this is their sixth European showpiece and four of Löw's squad appeared in the 2002 FIFA World Cup final – for Spain this is unchartered territory. La Furia Roja's last appearance in a major final was 24 years ago, a 2-0 EURO defeat by France, and their sole silverware came in the 1964 UEFA European Championship, yet if their coach is feeling weighed down by history he was not inclined to admit as much. "I'm fine, the players are fine," said Aragonés. "My greatest concern is my team. Germany are very strong, and their set-pieces are very dangerous. We know they don't have such a flowing game as us but they counterattack with speed and we need to learn how to stop that. It might be of concern to me, but I'm sure Germany are concerned the football we play with the ball on the ground could cause them problems."


Winning farewell

In the absence of the tournament's four-goal top scorer David Villa due to a thigh injury, Aragonés – who will step down after the match – is expected to stick with the five-man midfield that functioned so effectively in Thursday's 3-0 semi-final win, against Russia, deploying Cesc Fàbregas behind lone striker Fernando Torres. "We'll be able to get into the area less but will be stronger in midfield," he explained. "I haven't decided anything yet, perhaps we'll have two forwards. Every team needs a good atmosphere. I've seen great teams with great players and if you don't have a good atmosphere you can't win. This is what's brought us to the final. Let's just hope we play well and win."

Final worth 300 million euros


A study into the financial effects of Euro 2008 has said the economic impact of Sunday's final could be worth 300 million euros.

Originally Posted by eurosport.yahoo.com

Finalists Germany and Spain are set to enjoy benefits far outstripping their teams' prize money.

The report estimated that the nation whose side become European champions will gain more than 90 million euros in knock-on effects.

These include sponsorship deals, television rights, growth in ticket and merchandise sales, tourism and a "significant injection in consumer confidence."

The study's authors from England's Coventry University said the losing nation could expect an economic boost of more than 40 million euros, not including prize money, as a result of reaching the final.

Spain are set to pick up 23 million euros in total prize money if they beat Germany in the Vienna final, while a win would see the Germans taking home 22 million euros.

A runners-up place would guarantee a total of 20 million euros for Spain and 19 million for Germany.

The discrepancy in the winnings is due to UEFA's prize money system which rewards teams for their performances throughout the tournament.

Germany lost one of their group stage matches to eventual Group B winners Croatia while Spain head into the final having won all five of their matches so far.

Along with the 172 million euro windfall predicted for the finalists and their countries, the study commissioned by tournament sponsors MasterCard estimated that Vienna would enjoy short and long-term gains of more than 100 million euros purely for hosting the final.

The report reckoned that altogether Sunday's match would generate more than 300 million euros with the remaining economic impact being felt both within and beyond the two host nations of Austria and Switzerland.

Match officials:


Referee
Roberto Rosetti (ITA)

Assistant referee 1
Alessandro Griselli (ITA)

Assistant referee 2
Paolo Calcagno (ITA)



Fourth official
Peter Fröjdfeldt (SWE)

Reserve assistant referee
Stefan Wittberg (SWE)

UEFA Referee observer
Jaap Uilenberg (NED)

[funkdoctorspock]

Excellent work ToRn and Mark!

I don't think I"ve ever been so indifferent to a Euro final as I am to this one.

I'm not really a fan of either team.

As a footie fan though, all I can ask for is an open attack minded match. Both of these teams are capable this.

3-2 Sprockets, aka Germany.

As an England fan, I'm not fond of Spain. Furthermore, I still haven't gotten over Aragones racist remarks of a couple years ago.

[ReMad]

Final - June 29 2008


Germany vs Spain

Stats:


The Germans secured two goals in the first half. The Spanish side narrowed the gap early on in the second half, but Podolski went on to put the final nail in the Spanish coffin.
Match ends 3-1.

Highlights:
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[ReMad]

National Anthems
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[ReMad]

Ballack dribbles past Puyol 8'
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[ReMad]

Metzelder almost scored an own goal 14'
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Torres' header / Capdevila's shot 23'
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