Ballack: "We have weathered the storm"

The German team is one step away from reaching the final of a European championship for a record sixth time. The DFB team faces Turkey in the semifinal of the EURO 2008 on Wednesday (kickoff 8.45 P.M., live on ZDF).

"It will be a major challenge, but the opportunity is there, we have a huge chance to reach the final", says German captain and FC Chelsea midfielder Michael Ballack in this exclusive dfb.de-interview with Achim Muth.

Question: Germany have not played in a European final for twelve years. Was the quarterfinal a major step, the fact that Germany were able to surpass Portugal?

Ballack: I think so. You grow with your tasks. Portugal have been one of the few favourites. If you are able to eliminate them and you do it in such a convincing fashion, then that gives you a boost for your confidence.

Question: How do you explain the performance against Portugal?

Ballack: We felt a surge of relief following the win over Austria. Everybody was excited about facing Portugal, but we also knew that we had to change things. Playing in a 4-4-2 formation had been a nice fit for our team. But because of the injury to Bernd Schneider and Bastian Schweinsteiger being red-carded, we were missing some of the protagonists on offense. In all honesty, at that point we lacked creativity, passion and enthusiasm. We really played flat-footed, we felt somewhat tense. Yes, we did control Austria throughout the game, but there was a lack of energy. Then the changes added stability. Right away, you knew that the team could handle the new style. We’re not altering our overall philosophy. But we needed these slight corrections.

Question: Germany now fields five players in midfield. Has this scheme originated with the coaches or did the idea come up in a discussion?

Ballack: The coaches developed the plan, but I felt the same way. Following the win over Austria, we had a very good talk.

Question: A scheme born out of necessity?

Ballack: Let’s not get lost in details, but remember, we had all agreed before the tournament, that we should have no worries generating an attacking style of football. Then suddenly, our forwards failed to score, which always is detrimental to your confidence. But we had enough midfielders to create pressure, if you take Bastian Schweinsteiger, Lukas Podolski and myself. We are very compact because of this tactical change.

Question: There was a ‘team-only’-meeting following the Croatia game.

Ballack: That meeting was pivotal. Croatia had a great team, but if we play up to our skill level, we should have done much better. It was just vital, that you address these issues. Really, we were on the brink of elimination at that point. Playing Austria was such a challenge, because of all the circumstances.

Question: How about the atmosphere within the team at that time?

Ballack: We never doubted that we were on the right track. But you cannot just keep course wearing blindfolds. Too much harmony, and you lose your edge. You need a bit of aggressiveness, you should always be a bit upset and really infuriated. Otherwise you cannot accomplish these tremendous goals. Especially for our style of play, such an attitude is beneficial. Look at Portugal and their individual players. But we managed to beat them because we are such a cohessive unit, we will never lose site of our goal, and we can be very stubborn. That makes us successful, that’s who we are. We had lost that edge against Croatia, but we were able to rekindle that flame.

Question: Did you propose that ‘team-only’-meeting?

Ballack: The coaching staff proposed this and we as a team did, too. When football players talk, it’s not high-strung at all. We can be very direct and open, which is a good thing.

Question: Cristiano Ronaldo had beaten you in the Champions League final. Did you feel that the win on Thursday was a way of paying back?

Ballack: Well, he can call himself lucky that we had our miscues during the penalty shootout. Really, he had given away the win. But I feel no personal satisfaction.

Question: You are two steps away from clinching the first international title in your career. Do you feel nervous?

Ballack: No, we have weathered the storm, so to say. The mood is excellent right now. We will not have another game as against Croatia. I don’t see Turkey ahead of us in regards to their tactical or technical skills. They don’t outclass our guys. But they are unpredictable, and we will not underestimate Turkey. They played some outstanding games at this tournament. Their offensive fire power is impressive, and they are somewhat similar to us in mentality.You can see, that they had some German coaches working there. It will be a major challenge, but the opportunity is there, we have a huge chance to reach the final.