Developing Germany can beat stagnating Spain: Schweinsteiger

ERASMIA - Germany have improved significantly from the side that lost the Euro 2008 final to Spain and are now capable of turning the tables when the two sides meet in Wednesday’s World Cup semifinal in Durban, says Bastian Schweinsteiger.

Joachim Loew drafted inexperienced youngsters such as Thomas Mueller, Sami Khedira, Mesut Oezil and goalkeeper Manuel Neuer into his squad for South Africa and has been richly rewarded as Germany swept England and Argentina aside on their way to the last four.

“There are other faces on the pitch this time, younger players who have come in and gained experienced during this tournament,” Schweinsteiger said Monday at a press conference in Erasmia.

“Spain haven’t changed that much. Sergio Busquets has replaced Marcos Senna but otherwise they are pretty much the same team as two years ago.”

The Bayern Munich midfielder said he still had “huge respect” for Vicente Del Bosque’s side considering their achievements in recent years but wasn’t overawed in any way.

“Xavi, (Andres) Iniesta but also Xabi Alonso and (Gerard) Pique are great players but we still have a chance against them,” he said.

“They are the decisive players for Spain because without them (David) Villa and (Fernando) Torres won’t get the service needed to score goals.”

Spain were “clearly the better team” two years ago in Vienna even though the match only ended 1-0 at the Ernst Happel stadium, Schweinsteiger admitted.

“On paper Spain are still the better team but I think we have shown in our last two games that we can beat teams that appear the better ones on paper,” he said.

“For me, Spain are the best team in the world. It will be tough just like it was against England and Argentina but I’ve a lot of faith in this team because we’ve seen what we can do if we all pull together.”

Schweinsteiger has been a revelation for Germany since Loew moved him into his preferred central midfield role following Michael Ballack’s withdrawal from the squad before the tournament began through injury.

“The biggest change in my game is that finally I can play in my favourite position,” he explained.

“Louis van Gaal gave me the chance to play there at Bayern Munich and it went very well. Now it is going well with the national team but that is only because of the help I have received from the whole team.”

The 25-year-old’s performances have seen him being tipped as the player of the tournament and Schweinsteiger has even been touted as Germany’s answer to David Beckham, something the player said was a creation of the media.

“I don’t have any plans to become that type of person,” he said.

“Speculation doesn’t interest me or being player of the tournament. I only care about the game against Spain.”