Alexander from Clubfans.de has proposed a debate, in which he here attempts to justify why Germany will beat Turkey tonight. Translated from his pages.

• our recent history against Turkey is good, in 17 games 11 win, 3 draws and same number of losses with 40:10 goals

• we are placed 5 in the FIFA rankings, 15 places ahead of Turkey.

• our players have a (nominal) value of 234 million Euros compared with Turkey’s 107.

• Germany will start with all players, 6 from the Turkey team can’t play.

• The German goal keeper remembered his former powers during the tournament while the Turkish no 1 can’t play because of his red card.

• amongst the top defenders each a German and a Turk, but the Turk is injured

• amongst the top mid-fielders of this tournament are two Germans but no Turkish players.

• or amongst the top strikers where two Germans (Podolski placed even 3^rd [of all]) will meet two Turks but, guessed right, the best striker Nihat is injured. (short info for clubfans on the side: Charisteas is ranked 16 on the power rating, before Ibra… and only short after Torres, …).

• this all you could quote but still nobody will be able to tell you how the match tonight will end. Perhaps that’s the nice part of football.

• Turkey has team spirit, determination heart and passion (in their baggage) – and filled with confidence after the prelude loss against the Portugese all three games were bended in sometimes dramatical fashion.

• Germany in contrast – meanwhile oscillating between overestimation (sometimes from outside, sometimes from inside) and depression – towards an inner belief made up from a mix of ability, tactics and team spirit, one can win that tournament

The development of the game will be decisive, if Germany is able to impose their game on Turkey, as they did with Portugal and the Czechs, than I do not believe Turkey can repeat their previous games (the Croatia match left off since the Croatians didn’t want anything but to deny Turkey to play). In my opinion too much of the individual league of the injured Nihat and Emre are missing. And for a match played from secured defensive they miss the good playing Volkan as well as Servet or Emre. - If Germany will reasonably get into their play, and chances will arise and the one or other may be used, than this will be a match developing as anybody will have guessed BUT football can process totally different, one penalty, a situation, an injury, a sending-off, an individual error or a Turkish team intoxicated at the chance of victory. This is what makes this sport so fascinating.

One can only hope that both teams not imitate the cowardly football of the other teams (who deserved their retirement from the tournament) but their good capacity as yet, particular since they depended upon. Than this could become a football party amongst friends Because particularly here in Frankfurt Turks are living in exile very close to Germans so that one is almost unable to recognise any borders– last but not least some of the enlarged circle of players from the Turkish national team are grown up in Germany or having family bonds there. Also remarkable that German trainers, like Daum and Feldkamp or now also Skibbe, gain high reputation in Turkey.

Germany against Turkey – nice that this match once became reality in a semi final of an European Tournament. May the better win and the underdog – also their fans – turn out fair losers. In any case there will be a storm of ecstasy in Germany tonight - either in red or black-red-yellow

Will she be that happy tonight?