Franz Beckenbauer, a World Cup winner as player and coach for West Germany, says Germany’s round of 16 opponent England looks burned out, but expects the game to be a “anotherfantastic soccer battle.”
“A game like this should be a semifinal, not a last-16 game,” Beckenbauer. “Unfortunately, the English have slipped up a little by finishing second in theirgroup.
“The English look a little tired. There is a good reason for that: the Premier League players have got to play far more games than their Bundesliga colleagues, including two nationalcup competitions. Therefore, when it comes to a World Cup or a European Championship, they are burned out.
“Our players, on the other hand, seem to be in a physically better condition. Ofcourse we respect them, but we certainly don’t fear them. England’s first two appearances at the World Cup were paltry, but they improved against Slovenia.”