Germany prepare to end Italy jinx in semis

Reuters: The four teams left in soccer’s European Championship took a welcome breather from match action on Monday, the first of two rest days ahead of a pair of intriguing semi-finals which pit familiar foes against one another.

Germany and holders Spain are favourites to reach next Sunday’s final but must overcome respectively the weight of history and the world’s most expensive player Cristiano Ronaldo to get there.

The Germans, whose exciting young side have won all their games so far, scoring nine goals along the way, have never beaten opponents Italy at a major tournament in seven attempts and are sweating on the fitness of playmaker Bastian Schweinsteiger ahead of Thursday’s game in Warsaw.

However, ‘Schweini’ returned to training on Monday after two days on the sidelines and Germany are hopeful he will be able to shake off a nagging ankle problem in time to face the Italians.

Italy have their own injury headaches and coach Cesare Prandelli complained that the timing of the quarter-finals meant his opponents will have had two extra days to recover.

“It’s a problem that UEFA must consider for the next European Championship,” he told a news conference on Monday.

“To play a semi with this small gap does not help the spectacle.”

As in 2006, when Italy were eventually crowned world champions, the team came into the tournament with unwanted headlines at home due to a domestic match-fixing scandal.