UEFA EURO 2008 QUARTER-FINAL
Date: Thu 19 June Kick-off: 1945 BST Venue: St Jakob-Park, Basel
Germany face a double injury setback with Torsten Frings and Lukas Podolski struggling to be fit to face Portugal in Thursday's Euro 2008 quarter-final.
Holding midfielder Frings is a major doubt with fractured ribs, while Podolski has a calf problem.
Portugal coach Luiz Felipe Scolari is likely to pick his strongest team after making eight changes in his side's final group game against Switzerland.
Nuno Gomes will lead the attack with Cristiano Ronaldo and Simao supporting.
Armando Petit and Joao Moutinho will anchor the midfield with Deco in the playmaker role, while Jose Bosingwa, Ricardo Carvalho, Pepe and Paulo Ferreira make up the back four in front of goalkeeper Ricardo.
None of the players who came in for the 2-0 defeat against Switzerland made sufficient impact to break into Scolari's starting line-up.
Asked if he had considered changes for the German match, Scolari said: "I could, but I'm not going to change anything. In principle it will be the same team."
606: DEBATE
Judging by the group games, Germany are lacking in passion and belief
neeskensreturns
Germany coach Joachim Low insisted his backroom staff would do everything in their power to ensure Frings starts.
"Since Torsten is such an important player for our team, our medical staff will exhaust all possibilities to get him fit," said Low.
"The decision about if he plays against Portugal will only come on Thursday."
Frings sustained the injury during the second-half of Germany's 1-0 win over Austria on Monday.
Podolski picked up his problem in the same game and his absence would be a huge blow as he has scored three of the Germans' four goals in the tournament.
"He definitely won't train on Tuesday and it's going to be tight for Thursday," said Low.
"The medical department will do everything they can to get him fit but he had real problems in the second half against Austria."
Bastian Schweinsteiger, who was suspended against Austria, could earn a starting role against the Portuguese.
The pitch in Basel for the game has been relaid after heavy rain and Germany have decided not to train on the St Jakob Park turf the day before the game.
"It was entirely our decision to forego the session," said German Football Association spokesman Stephan Brause.
BIG MATCH STATS
Head-to-heads
Portugal and Germany have met each other on 15 occasions with the Germans winning seven and losing three.
The two countries have met twice at a European Championship. In 2000, Portugal beat Germany 3-0 through a hat-trick by Sergio Conceicao. Nuno Gomes and Michael Ballack were present in that match. At the 1984 European Championship the match ended in a goalless draw.
Their last meeting in all competitions was the third place play-off at the World Cup 2006 which was won by Germany (3-1) through two goals by Bastian Schweinsteiger.
Head to head records and significant meetings
Team facts - Portugal
Reached the semi-finals in the last two European Championship finals.
Played seven previous knock-out matches at European Championships, winning on three occasions.
The only country amongst nations with at least four participations in the European Championship to have progressed from the group stages on all occasions.
Luiz Felipe Scolari can become the third coach to win six European Championship matches after Berti Vogts and Rinus Michels. With 16 wins at European Championship finals and World Cups combined, Scolari needs three more to equal Helmut Schon.
Not been awarded a single penalty in regular time in all 22 matches at European Championships. Poland (three matches), Latvia (three), Norway (three), Slovenia (three), Republic of Ireland (three) are the other countries without a penalty awarded.
Team facts - Germany
Played 11 previous knock-out matches at the European Championship winning the tie on nine occasions and losing twice. In 1992, Germany lost the final against Denmark and four years earlier in 1988 they were knocked out by the Netherlands, the eventual winners, in the semi-finals.
Nations with most wins at last three European Championship finals
One goal short of scoring 50 in European Championship competition. The Netherlands are the only country to have scored more European Championship goals.
Player facts - Portugal
If he sees action, Nuno Gomes will equal Luis Figo (14) as Portugal's record appearance maker at European Championships.
If Gomes scores, he will become the fourth player to score in three different European Championships, joining Jurgen Klinsmann (Germany), Vladimir Smicer (Czech Republic) and Thierry Henry (France). Henrik Larsson (Sweden) can also achieve this feat at Euro 2008.
Pepe and Ricardo are the only two Portuguese players who are yet to miss a minute at these finals.
Jose Bosingwa, Paulo Ferreira, Fernando Meira, Miguel and Jorge Ribeiro will be suspended if they receive another yellow card.
Player facts - Germany
Michael Ballack has now scored 37 international goals. Six German players (Muller, Klinsmann, Voller, Rummenigge, Seeler and Klose) have scored more goals.
Ballack will play for his new club manager, as Portuguese coach Scolari will start at Chelsea next month.
Bastian Schweinsteiger, Michael Ballack and Jens Lehmann will be suspended if booked.
Miscellaneous Info
Several players in the Portuguese and German squad are teammates. Ricardo vs Odonkor (Real Betis, ESP); Ferreira, Carvalho vs Ballack (Chelsea); Meira vs Hitzlsperger, Gomez (VfB Stuttgart, Germany); Pepe vs Metzelder (Real Madrid, Spain); Almeida vs Fritz, Mertesacker, Frings and Borowski (Werder Bremen, Germany).
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