Prediction: Germany vs Turkey

8th October 2010

The derby of the round will be played at Olympic Stadium in Berlin with high-flying Germany hosting Guus Hiddink’s Turkey. Having won their first two games of the group, both sides enter the match brimming with confidence and everything suggests we will see an enthralling encounter. Home field advantage will play no part in this match as the Turkish fans could easily outnumber their German counterparts.

Germany are slowly returning to the old glory days under Joachim Low with their impressive performances at the World Cup hinting it was only a matter of time before die Mannschaft finally win the World Cup title. The Germans were prevented from realizing their full potential by Spain in South Africa but their four-goal wins over England and Argentina were certainly something to be proud of. Joachim Low’s side had a difficult job at the start of the Euro 2012 qualifiers but still managed to bring three points back from Belgium before scoring 6 past Azerbaijan. With key midfielder Bastian Schweinsteiger missing out through injury, Toni Kroos looks set to partner Sami Khedira in the centre of the park, while Ozil, Podolski and Muller will continue to play behind Miroslav Klose. It is these players that Turkey have to be wary of since they’ve got attacking potential to hurt any side in the world, as witnessed by their showings in South Africa.

Despite boasting some excellent individuals, Turkey have been largely struggling to realize their potential as the previous coaches were unable to find the real balance in the side. The arrival of Guus Hiddink brought a new air of confidence to the side, but while Turkey won the first two games, it is clear the standard of their performances is still not good enough. Defence remain the biggest problem with Omer Erdogan and Servet Cetin hardly the best defensive partnership you will find, while the lack of emerging talent is also making things difficult for Guus Hiddink. The midfield area is probably the strongest part of the team, although the absence of key midfielder Arda Turan will certainly be a bug blow for the visitors. To be honest, I don’t see how players like Selcuk Inan and Tuncay Sanli (played just 66 minutes for Stoke this season) can trouble Germany defence so Turkey really don’t have much to hope for from this game.

Conclusion

The World Cup 2010 proved Joachim Low has built a world-class side and their performances were a joy to watch in South Africa. Turkey, on the other hand, have yet to hit the ground running and unless they play a perfect game, they will succumb to a defeat in Berlin.

Verdict: Home win Germany (1)

Best Odds: 8/13

Bookmaker: Victor Chandler