The Germany camp expect to have to rebuild the battered confidence of their Bayern Munich stars ahead of Euro 2012 in the wake of the Bavarians’ Champions League final defeat at the hands of Chelsea.

The Blues beat Bayern 4-3 on penalties in Saturday’s final after it finished 1-1 after extra time in Munich and midfielder Bastian Schweinsteiger was left distraught when he hit the post with his spot-kick to set-up Chelsea’s win.
“When such an established national player misses, it takes a while to get over that,” said Bayern coach Jupp Heynckes with concern.

The miss allowed Didier Drogba to slot home the winning spot-kick and give Chelsea their first European title, while Bayern finish without silverware for a second season with eight of their team due to link up with the German squad.

“Football is sometimes brutal, of course, we are all disappointed and sad,” said Germany coach Joachim Loew.

Bayern’s Germany stars including Philipp Lahm, Manuel Neuer, Thomas Mueller and Mario Gomez were all left bitterly disappointed, but can expect plenty of support when they arrive at the Germany camp in the south of France on Friday.

“We have no magic potion that will rebuild everyone at once,” admitted Germany team manager Oliver Bierhoff at their pre-Euro 2012 training camp.

“There is a process and we have to give the players a few days.

“We will build the boys up again, the change of air will do them good, with us they can still win the title.”

Germany open their Euro 2012 campaign against Portugal in Lviv, Ukraine, on June 9, but face friendlies against Switzerland in Basel on Saturday and Israel in Leipzig on May 31.

The Bayern players will only link up with the German squad after Tuesday’s friendly against World Cup finalists Holland at the Allianz Arena.

Joachim Löw has named the 27 players who will travel with the German national soccer team to training camp ahead of the European Championship, which starts next month in Poland and Ukraine.

Bayer Leverkusen’s second choice goalkeeper Rene Adler is still positive of getting a spot on the German team for Euro 2012 despite the lack of playing time.

The 27-year-old lost his spot in the starting eleven at Leverkusen to 20-year-old Bernd Leno, but he is still hopeful of making the Joachim Löw’s Germany squad due to his past experiences with the national team.

“I’m still in contact with coach Joachim Löw,” Adler told Bild. “He always gives me the impression that I can rejoin the national team when the time is right.

“I’ve already made 10 appearances, so I don’t have to prove to anyone that I am good enough for that level.”

Adler continued and said of his undesirable position as a backup keeper in Bayer Leverkusen: “Of course it’s not nice to lose your spot, but in such a situation, you have to be positive. Bernd has put in some great performances for the team.”

However, Adler is still seeking first team football and has had talks to move to Hamburg at the end oft the season.

“I have had a medical at Hamburg, but nothing is set in stone. All parties want clarity on the situation by mid-April, but until then, I don’t want to talk about it.

Leverkusen currently sit sixth in the Bundesliga, with Adler not having made an appearance so far this season.

UEFA president Michel Platini has said Germany are the best team in Europe at the moment and one of the favourites to win this summer’s UEFA EURO 2012, ahead of their friendly with France on Wednesday.

“Germany currently has the best team in Europe, they are very young and very creative,” the Frenchman told German daily Die Welt on Sunday. “They didn’t lose any of their European Championship qualification matches. They are the big favourites to win the championships alongside Spain.”

Platini, who led France to the 1984 European title on home soil, cast a critical eye over the current French team, coached by Laurent Blanc. “We have two or three really good players like (Real Madrid’s) Karim Benzema and (Bayern Munich’s) Franck Ribery, but the rest are so-so,” admitted the 56-year-old.

Having made more than 70 appearances for France during the late 1970s and early 1980s, Platini said matches against Germany gave him several restless nights during his career playing for Les Bleus. “I have had nightmares because of Germany,” he said. “We lost to them on penalties in the semi-finals of the 1982 World Cup and again in 1986. They were dramatic games.”

UEFA EURO 2012 kicks off on 8 June with Germany having been drawn in Group B alongside Portugal, the Netherlands and Denmark while France face co-hosts the Ukraine, Sweden and England in Group D.

Captain Philipp Lahm will miss Wednesday’s friendly game against France in Bremen due to a nagging knee injury while Borussia Dortmund midfielder Sven Bender is doubtful with a suspected broken nose, the DFB said.

Defender Lahm, who played in Bayern Munich’s 2-0 win over Schalke 04 on Sunday, will remain in Munich for treatment, the German football federation said in a statement.

Bender was taken to hospital after a clash early in their 3-1 win over Hanover 96 on Sunday.

The 22-year-old underwent preliminary tests but Dortmund said a clear diagnosis would require further medical checks.

Germany coach Joachim Löw concedes the process which led to the end of Michael Ballack’s international career should have been handled better.

Ballack was expected to lead his country at last year’s World Cup finals but suffered an injury in Chelsea’s FA Cup final clash with Portsmouth which ruled him out of the tournament.

The resulting success of a young German team in South Africa prompted Löw to announce in June that he would not be selecting Ballack again as it went against his new focus on youth development. The midfielder, who turned 35 in September, lashed out at Löw for treating him disrespectfully and even turned down the offer of a testimonial match for Germany.

Under Löw’s leadership, the team has continued to get stronger and qualified for Euro 2012 top of their group. They head into next summer’s tournament as one of the favourites to lift the trophy but looking back now Löw admits some regret at the way Ballack – a player who has played for Germany just short of 100 times – retired from international football.

“All of us who were involved in this thing should have found a better solution,” Löw told Sky Bundesliga. ”All of the parties involved. Just as it was then, and how it is currently, it is not satisfactory. I hope we can resolve things someday.”

Ballack currently plays his club football with Bayer Leverkusen but has recently been linked with a move to Major League Soccer.

Germany coach Joachim Löw says his team will have no fear when they start their Euro 2012 campaign against Portugal, having also drawn Denmark and World Cup finalists Holland in Group B.

Germany were the first team to book their Euro 2012 place, winning all 10 of their qualification matches.

They face Portugal in Lviv on Saturday June 9, Holland in Kharkiv on Wednesday June 13, then finish against Denmark in Lviv again, on Sunday June 17.

The Germans hammered Holland 3-0 in Hamburg last month in a friendly, but Löw said there would be no easy games in the group, although there was no fear of Portugal, who Germany beat 3-2 in the quarter-finals of Euro 2008.

“We’ll take it as it comes, we have no fear,” said Löw. “Before the draw, I said that there was no team I preferred to meet, everyone will be hard to play against. Being at a European Championships is just like being at a World Cup, any team can pull off a surprise.”

The 51-year-old said he was also looking forward to facing World Cup finalists Holland, but that European neighbours Denmark would be especially dangerous.

“I believe that this is the heaviest and most balanced group with the strongest teams,” said Löw. ”The Netherlands and Portugal have world-class players and we can look forward to interesting games against them.

“Denmark are always an uncomfortable team to face in a tournament. The Danes can assume the role of underdogs and take on bigger teams without pressure or fear. That makes them dangerous.”

Having reached the final of Euro 2008 and finished third at last year’s World Cup, Germany are one of the teams widely tipped to take the title in the final at Kiev’s Olympic Stadium on July 1, but Löw dismissed the favourites tag.

“Before a tournament, a lot is always said, especially when people look at the qualification results,” said Löw, who has coached Germany since 2006. But everyone knows that the title can only be won by the team in top form at the right time and when everything works. There is still a half year before the Euros and a lot can still happen – injuries for example.

“If we are in top form, we have a good chance, but that is also valid for Spain, who everyone has to be measured against, and also Holland, who will be stronger than they were against us in Hamburg. Also England, France, Italy and Portugal will have their chances.”

The team will be based in north Poland, but will travel to the Ukraine for all three of their group games. They face flights of 750km to Lviv, twice, and 1,500km to Kharkiv, but Löw says the travelling will be no worse than his team have already experienced.

“You have to fly anyway. Perhaps we will play the quarters or semi-final in Poland,” said Löw. ”We were based in Switzerland for Euro 2008, but ended up flying to the final in Vienna.”

The German team played its last game of 2011 on Tuesday in a friendly against the Netherlands, and coach Joachim Löw can send the team home for the year with a smile on his face.

“Holland was a custom-made opponent,” Löw said in the post-game press conference. “Holland had no chance.”

The team’s 3-0 win in Hamburg was more than just a pride-boosting dressing down of the World Cup runners-up. It was a final confirmation that Löw’s Germany is running like a well-oiled machine heading into next summer’s European Championship.

Winning all of their Euro 2012 qualifiers was certainly a strong indication that things were running smoothly on the team, but nothing speaks louder than such a strong performance against a a techincally strong side like Holland.

Germany’s offense was a pleasure to behold, with early attacks strung together with crisp, clean short passes and well-selected long balls that were bound to yield goals.

The first of Gremany’s three goals came after 15 minutes on a play that couldn’t have been scripted better. Toni Kroos sent the ball across the pitch toward Klose on the right side, who quickly brought it under control and slotted it brilliantly to Thomas Müller in the middle, who put it away easily.

Klose himself took care of Germany’s second goal, with the play starting this time with Müller. His pass to Mesut Özil on the right side meant Özil had to use his weaker foot – his right – but that didn’t seem to matter. He placed a perfect cross for Klose to put away with a rocket header, making it 2-0 for Germany after just 21 minutes.

The goal for Klose was his 63rd for the German team, putting him five off the national record of 68 held by Gerd Müller since 1974.

But more important than taking another step towards the record, Klose marked his return to the national team after missing two months due to on-and-off injuries. Löw typically selects a lone striker, and Klose’s former teammate at Bayern Munich Mario Gomez – having another red-hot Bundesliga season – has laid claim to that position in recent months.

Klose quickly found his place within the team on his return, both setting up his teammates and taking chances himself. The captain’s band that he wore in place of Philipp Lahm, who was given the night off, seemed to suit him – certainly much better than it did Gomez in Germany’s 3-3 nail-biter draw with Ukraine last Friday.

The final goal for Germany could have gone to Klose, but he took a selfless, safer route and set up Özil instead. Müller passed to Özil, who then promptly dished over to Klose, who was in a one-on-one with Holland’s keeper, Maarten Stekelenburg. It was short range, though, and while Klose likely would have made the shot, he sent the ball right back to Özil, who merely had to put the final tap on the ball to send it into a wide open net.

The Dutch couldn’t find an answer for Germany’s smart playmaking up front, and their own efforts on offense fell apart before they could become truly threatening.

Germany’s defense played a role there, with a lot of the work being done by veteran Per Mertesacker. The defense wasn’t spotless, but they looked a lot better than last week, when Löw tried out a three-man back row. Back to their usual row of four, they fared much better. But, as Löw pointed out, it was the German offense that won this game.

“We played with a lot of passion and were light on our feet, which overwhelmed Holland,” he said. “The midfield and offense did especially good work, and Holland hardly came into the danger area.”

By beating Holland, Germany set themselves even further apart from the rest of the field going into 2012. They were the best team in qualifying – Spain also won all their games, but played in a smaller group – and they beat a Dutch team that won nine of their 10 qualifiers. Spain, incidentally, only managed a 2-2 draw in a friendly with Costa Rica on Tuesday.

The loss by no means indicates that the Netherlands are not a dangerous opponent for anyone who plays them at Euro 2012, but it does send a signal to any teams who might have to face Germany.

“This game doesn’t say much about us, but (it) says a lot about the strengths of the German team,” said Holland’s coach, Bert van Marwijk. “When you look at this game, you see that Germany is one of the biggest European Championship favorites.”

The tournament is more than six months down the road, but Germany has more than proven that they are a serious contender.

“There is a long time until the tournament,” said defender Dennis Aogo after the match. “But when we play like we did today against such a great team, it’s hard to shake the label of favorites.”

Germany will have one more test before the tournament gets underway in Poland and Ukraine in June – a friendly in Bremen against France at the end of February. That’s another chance to prove themselves against a European powerhouse, but Löw and his team have put in the work. Next summer when they’ve shaken off the dust in the training camp in the weeks before the tournament, they know they have what it takes to come out firing on all pistons.

That’s a thought that can allow Löw and the rest of the team to rest easy over the winter, dreaming of a fairy-tale summer in Poland and Ukraine.

Coach Joachim Löw has insisted his side have nothing to fear ahead of Tuesday’s friendly against World Cup finalists the Netherlands in Hamburg as they look to finish 2011 in style.

After winning all 10 of their Euro 2012 qualifiers and humbling Brazil in an August friendly, Löw is looking for Germany’s first win over the Dutch since 1996 in what will be his 75th international as national team coach.

Both sides are without key players with Germany captain Philipp Lahm being rested and Bayern Munich star midfielder Bastian Schweinsteiger missing with a broken collarbone.

Likewise, Dutch midfielder Rafael van der Vaart is out with a thigh strain while striker Robin van Persie has returned to his Premier League club Arsenal to be rested.

The Dutch attack will feature Inter Milan star Wesley Sneijder and Liverpool’s Dirk Kuyt, but Löw says his team — including Real Madrid play-maker Mesut Ozil and Bayern’s Mario Gomez — are relishing the challenge.

“We have no fear and there is no reason to be afraid,” Löw told reporters Monday.

“It will be a great challenge to play against the number two team in the world. I expect an aggressive and interesting game.”

While both teams are among the Euro 2012 favourites, they share a rich history with Germany racking up 13 wins to the Netherlands’ 10 and the sides drawing 14 times since their first encounter in 1910.

Their most explosive clash was in Milan at the 1990 World Cup when Germany beat the Netherlands 2-1 in a bad-tempered quarter-final.

Both Germany’s Rudi Voeller and Holland’s Frank Rijkaard were sent off early in the match after the Dutchman infamously spat at the German midfielder.

A Dutch reporter could not resist asking whether the match in Hamburg was a friendly game or a war between neighbours.

“It is a test game for both teams, this game has no influence on next year,” replied Löw diplomatically.

“Of course, we both want a win, we want to both show what we can do, but I don’t think it will come with an elevated level of aggression.”

Löw played an experimental three-man defence in Friday’s 3-3 draw with Ukraine in Kiev and is considering playing a traditional 4-4-2 formation against the Dutch.

Veteran Miroslav Klose, who is six goals short of Gerd Mueller’s record as Germany’s all-time top scorer, trained on Sunday and Löw said he will decide on Monday night whether he will partner Mario Gomez up front.

The coach also said Hamburg’s Dennis Aogo will switch from defensive midfielder to left back while Ozil will start.

The Dutch meanwhile are looking for a win in Hamburg after they were booed by their own fans after a goalless draw against Switzerland in Amsterdam on Friday.

“The Netherlands have mastered the system they play, they know exactly what to do and they are hard to beat,” said Löw.

“Their extra class is the strength they have shown over the years, they have individual players who have great speed, especially in one-to-one situations.”

Germany survived a scare on Friday as the guests had to come from 3-1 down to seal a 3-3 draw with Euro 2012 co-hosts the Ukraine in a thrilling friendly.

Germany was without a few of its usual players. Captain Philipp Lahm was given the night off, with his captain’s band being passed on to Mario Gomez. Midfielder Bastian Schweinsteiger, normally a leading playmaker, was out with a broken collarbone.

The team’s stalwart goalkeeper, Manuel Neuer, was also not in the lineup, being replaced by Hanover’s 22-year-old keeper, Ron-Robert Zieler, who made his national team debut.

The Ukraine took the lead when Dynamo Kiev striker Andriy Yarmolenko opened the scoring when he stabbed home his shot on 28 minutes for the first goal.

The second came nine minutes later when German defender Mats Hummels lost possession near the Ukraine penalty area and midfielder Yevhen Konoplianka sprinted some 70 metres to round Zieler and slot home.

Germany pulled a goal back on 39 minutes when Bayern Munich midfielder Toni Kroos rifled a shot home from outside the penalty area.

The hosts went into the break 3-1 up when replacement Serhiy Nazarenko calmly took a pass from Shevchenko and beat Zieler with a curling shot from outside of the area a minute into added time at the end of the first-half.

Löw enforced his team at the break with Leverkusen pair Simon Rolfes and Andre Schuerrle, but stuck with the same formation as Nazarenko and Shevchenko both fired just wide of the German goal early in the second half.

Rolfes pulled a second goal back for Germany to make it 3-2 on 65 minutes while Loew bolstered his attack by bringing experienced pair Lukas Podolski and Thomas Müller off the bench.

It paid off as Müller hit the equaliser when he cut in from the left wing and unleashed his shot which Ukraine goalkeeper Oleksandr Rybka failed to save with a feeble attempt on 78 minutes.