Otto Rehhagel hopes Greece have learned from their 3-2 loss against Hungary as they arrive in Germany for pre-UEFA EURO 2008™ training.
Disappointing showing
A first defeat since August for the reigning European champions was a shock but Rehhagel hopes it was a well-timed one. "If we play like we did today against Sweden [in Greece's Group D opener on 10 June], then we have no chance," he said after Saturday's match. "However the timing is perfect for us to wake up. Hungary exposed all of our failings and proved that we haven't reached the level many believed we had."
Minor injuries
Aside from the loss, two names were added to Greece's injury list. Goalkeeper Antonis Nikopolidis and defensive midfielder Angelos Basinas were both taken off during the game against Hungary, but medical staff have revealed that their injuries are not serious. Nikopolidis will be out for a week with a pulled groin muscle while Basinas has bruised his calf.
Final friendly
Both players are expected to be rested for Greece's final pre-tournament friendly game against Armenia in Offenbach on Sunday 1 June, while Giorgos Karagounis – who did not play in Budapest due to a bruised knee – has returned to full training after Greece went from the Hungarian capital to their training base in Frankfurt on Sunday. Rehhagel will now look to put the Hungarian lessons into practice on the training pitch.
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