Semi Final - Deutschland v España , BBC1, 7:30pm BST/ 8:30pm CET

[bomma]

Semi Final - Deutschland V España, Wednesday July 7th, 2010 19:30 BST/20:30 CET, BBC1

V

Venue: Moses Mabhida Stadium, Durban

Referee :Viktor Kassai (Hungary)
Assistant Referees :Gabor Eros and Tibor Vamos (both Hungary)
Fourth Official :Frank de Bleeckere (Belgium)

Road to the Semi Final:

Group Stage:
Deutschland 4-0 Australia España 0-1 Switzerland
Deutschland 0-1 Serbia España 2-0 Honduras
Ghana 0-1 Deutschland Chile 1-2 España

Round of 16:
Deutschland 4-1 England España 1-0 Portugal

Quarter Finals:
Argentina 0-4 Deutschland Paraguay 0-1 España

Competition Stats:

Deutschland España
Goals Klose/Mueller 4 David Villa 5
Assists Mueller 3
Yellows Klose 2 Busquets 1
Reds Klose 1

TEAM NEWS

Deutschland midfielder Sami Khedira is expected to play against España despite picking up a minor thigh injury in the win against Argentina.

Defender Arne Friedrich sat out training on Monday with a foot problem.

Thomas Mueller, who has been used on the right wing in South Africa, misses the match through suspension.

Back-up striker Cacau remains troubled by an abdominal muscle injury.

España coach Vicente del Bosque must decide whether to persist with misfiring striker Fernando Torres, who lasted less than an hour against Paraguay before being substituted.

His replacement, Arsenal midfielder Cesc Fabregas, hurt his shoulder after falling heavily but was passed fit by España's medical team. Defender Carles Puyol has also been given the all-clear after suffering from blurred vision.

MATCH FACTS

Head-to-head

- Victory at Euro 2008 was only España's second win in eight competitive games against the Germans. They also beat them 1-0 in the group stage at the 1984 European Championship.

- Deutschland are unbeaten in three previous World Cup games against the Spanish. West Deutschland beat España 2-1 at Villa Park in a group game in 1966. They won by the same score at the Bernabeu in 1982, when the sides met in a second-round group match. Defeat eliminated the hosts, even though they had one more match to play.

-Jurgen Klinsmann's equaliser earned Deutschland a 1-1 draw in a group game at USA '94, staged at Chicago's Soldier Field.

- Overall, the two nations have met 20 times: Deutschland have won eight and España six, with six draws.

Deutschland

- Miroslav Klose has scored 14 goals in 18 World Cup games, and is just one short of the all-time record held by Brazilian star Ronaldo.

- This will be Deutschland's 11th World Cup semi-final - they have reached this stage in six of the last eight World Cups.

- While Italy beat the Germans in 1970 and 2006, it is 52 years since a side other than the Azzurri defeated them at the semi-final stage (hosts Sweden eliminated them in 1958).

España

- The Spanish are through to their first ever World Cup semi-final. They did reach the final four in 1950 under a different format, when the remaining teams played out a group stage. España finished bottom, behind winners Uruguay, Brazil and Sweden.

- David Villa is one goal away from equalling Raul's record of 44 goals for España. He has already equalled the Spanish record for most goals at a single World Cup (five), set by Emilio Butragueno in 1986.

Players to watchMiroslav Klose v David Villa

The leading marksman at South Africa 2010 with five of his country’s six goals, the Spanish striker is just one away from joining Raul as La Roja’s top scorer of all time. No less important to his team than the in-form Villa, Klose is closing on another record. The German forward needs to find the back of the net one more time to draw level with Brazil’s Ronaldo as the leading goalscorer in FIFA World Cup finals history with 15 goals. One behind the Spaniard in the South Africa 2010 charts, Klose has not given up hope of making off with the adidas Golden Boot as well.

The stat

3 - The number of times the two sides have faced each other in FIFA World Cup matches. Germany have yet to lose, winning 2-1 at England 1966 and Spain 1982 and forcing a 1-1 draw at USA 1994.

What they said“Spain are the favourites to my mind and their team play is just amazing. They don’t have one Messi, they have several, and they don’t make many mistakes either, unlike England and Argentina. We need to force them to make errors,” Joachim Low, Germany coach.

“We haven’t come this far to finish fourth. We are going to fight hard against Germany to reach the Final, which is our one and only objective. We’ve reached a landmark for Spanish football by getting past the quarter-finals, but we know the Germany match is the most important in our history, even more so than the EURO 2008 final in Austria,” Iker Casillas, Spain goalkeeper and captain.

Voice of the fans“Each match is a different story. Every team Spain have played against so far have defended, which is what teams who fear us do. It will be different against Germany though. There will be more space and whoever controls the midfield will have every chance of winning. This is going to be the game of the World Cup, the Final played one game early,” FIFA.com user oficus 11 (Spain).

Have your sayCan Miroslav Klose and/or David Villa make history in Durban?

[bomma]

By the way:

The octopus prediction: España

[seanydude]

Come On Germany

[Standard liege!]

Should be an awesome game Come on Spain!

[el sid]

Didn't the octopus get the last Germany v Spain prediction wrong?

[Koki]

Mon Deutschland! I'm really scared that the dream of the WC trophy might end tomorrow. I see Spain as slight favourites but it is impossible to predict an outcome - unless you are an octopus. I'm hoping for a good match

[Leppard]

Spain better win this! Wouldn't be able to stand my sister for weeks if her team beat my team. And getting to the final will of course be good too .

Is it too much to hope for Torres to score against Germany again?

[Cinnabon09]

Yeah. The Octopus missed the last Spain-Germany match. He said the Germans would win last time

[georginho_juventusygr]

No, the octopus has predicted that Spain will win.

When was he wrong by the way? Group stage? Knockout rounds?

[Pukey]

Octopus hasn't been wrong this world cup iirc. Predicted the Germans would beat Spain in 2008 when they lost though, I think.

Mon Spain!

[Cinnabon09]

the octopus said the germans would win the euro final

[crouchaldinho]

Germany to win this one.

Holland v Germany would be a great final.

[football_master_94]

Mon Deutschland

[wizkid]

Germany to win on penalties

[pouncer]

This will be good, I think Germany will nick it though. If they are able to hound the Spanish defence in the same way that they did Argentina's, then they will win comfortably - Spain haven't looked at all solid defensively, I don't think.

I'll say Germany 4-2 Spain. It better be good now.

[20LEGEND]

Spain to 1-0 it all the way to the final

[Meitheisman]

Spain to 1-0 it all the way to the final

Villa again? I'd love that

[Micado]

By the way:

The octopus prediction: España

What did the octopus predict for yesterday's SF?

C'mon Germany, love a Germany vs Holland final.

[robbert_o154]

Germany to win on penalties

This for me too. Holland already have one more day of rest, I wouldn't mind having the opponent play 30 minutes of extra time as well.

[robbert_o154]

Btw, can the octopus be found online as well? I'd like to see him.

[Razzler]

Don't really care who wins as long as football is the winner ...

[Razzler]

This would be 'Paul' the Octopus, that's animal cruelty calling an octopus Paul.

Didn't it get Uruguay/Holland wrong already so it's career is in tatters now

[Orzelek]

Come on, Deutschland!

Really looking forward to this game, should be great entairtainment I think that it will be close, but Germany will win with 2-0 or 2-1

[gunner4eva]

im gonna miss this so are they showing it again re-live on BBC3 in the early hours tonight?

Mon Germany.

[DJ]

By the way:

The octopus prediction: España

Today, there's calimari on the menu

Fick Dich in alle acht Knien du bledes Viech

Come on Schland!

Vengeance for the EC final and an end to that jammy Villa. Far too good/deadly for my liking

[sean_oc16]

MATCH OFFICIALS

Referee: Viktor Kassai (Hungary)

Assistants: Gabor Eros and Tibor Vamos (both Hungary)

Fourth official: Frank de Bleeckere (Belgium)

[bomma]

Added to the OP, sean

[Cinnabon09]

mon mon the typical germans + cesc fabregas

[Crazy_T]

fabregas is injured

[Pukey]

fabregas is injured

He's been passed fit. http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/world_cup_2010/8793269.stm

[Cinnabon09]

yeah. he is playable. doesnt mean he will play though

[jack_man]

Germany win please as Holland v Germany would be brilliant

[Pukey]

To be fair, Spain vs Holland wouldn't be a bad game either.

[jack_man]

Germany invaded Holland though.

[el sid]

mon Deutschland

[Plumble]

'Mon ze Germansssss

[big_bob]

Spain to go through.

[robbert_o154]

I hope Germany wins, but who am I to disagree with the octopus?

[mcsheffreygreat]

Have been brought up having to dislike Germany as a football team but this tournament has really changed my point of view and I really enjoy the way they play their football Hope they go through.

[ishlilith]

Germany invaded Holland though.

Spain did that first

[DerMef]

Spain did that first

Actually the Romans did it first.

[ibra8]

Another great match, i hope. Klose leading Germany into the final with a couple of goals.

[bomma]

Could be a few empty seats about tonight. Huge travel problems in Durham. Airport apparently closed due to to many flights coming in. Christ.

[bomma]

Oh and Torres will be starting on the bench.

[sean_oc16]

According to FFT:

Spain XI: Casillas, Ramos, Puyol, Pique, Capdevila, Busquets, Alonso, Xavi, Iniesta, Villa, Pedro

[John Smith]

Hmm, so Torres finally gives way.

[Weide]

Pedro

I hope he scores

[Ville]

Head says Germany, heart says Spain.

Though Holland-Germany would make a good final.

[John Smith]

Both are good teams deserving of the WC but I hope this match will go into extra time.

[Matty Kyle]

just made the game that little more intriguing