Joachim Löw may have said he had no preference over who Germany would face in Sunday's UEFA EURO 2008™ final but in the cold light of day the statistics suggest that Russia may have been a better bet to Spain, despite the Mannschaft's overall winning record against La Furia Roja.
One-sided history
"Neither team is in the semi-final by accident and they are both capable of playing excellent football," Löw had said following Germany's triumph over Turkey, a theme picked up by Miroslav Klose who added: "I don't care who we end up playing. I want to win the trophy either way." Yet previous meetings suggest that Germany's hopes may have been stronger had Russia reached the final. In 12 previous meetings between the sides – including as West Germany and the Soviet Union – Germany have claimed eight wins and two draws. Only twice have they come second best, the last in a 1985 friendly in Moscow.
Germany also have a superior head-to-head record against their final opponents but the picture is far less rosy. In 19 previous meetings, the three-time European champions have triumphed eight times to Spain's five, a quintet that includes the 3-1 win in a Mallorca friendly the last time the sides met in February 2003. Arne Friedrich, Christophe Metzelder, Klose and Oliver Neuville all played their part in that defeat, while Iker Casillas, Carles Puyol and Xavi Hernández survive from Spain.
Finals appearances
This will be Germany's sixth final, having won three of their previous five, though the sequence so far is perhaps ominous: won in 1972, lost in 1976, won in 1980, lost in 1992, won in 1996. Lose in 2008? Spain's greatest UEFA European Championship moment came on 21 June 1964 when they won the competition in Madrid, defeating the Soviet Union 2-1. They were runners-up to France in 1984.
source
