History on Germany's side as Portugal awaits

Germany kicks off its World Cup campaign on Monday aiming to continue its domination of Cristiano Ronaldo's Portugal at recent major tournaments.

The Germans enjoyed wins over Portugal at the 2006 World Cup, plus both of the past two European championships and want to get their Group G campaign off to a flying start with a fourth consecutive win.

The Salvador clash is a re-run of Portugal's Euro 2012 opener against Germany, when it went down 1-0 to a second-half Mario Gomez goal.

The pre-match buildup in Salvador has focused on whether or not Ronaldo will be fit to play at the Arena Fonte Nova after a knee and thigh injury.

The 29-year-old fully took part in Portugal's training session on Saturday with teammates William Carvalho and goalkeeper Eduardo both saying he will play.

Eduardo insists the Portugal squad is highly motivated to erase memories of a "disastrous" 2010 campaign which ended in the last 16 at the hands of eventual winner Spain.

But all eyes have been on the world player of the year's recovery, despite Ronaldo's return to play 65minutes of Portugal's final warm-up in its 5-1 drubbing of Ireland.

The Real Madrid forward, whose form and fitness will be vital to Portugal's chances, has had a heavy strapping on his knee in training.

But as Germany defender Benedikt Hoewedes said: "This isn't Germany against Ronaldo, but Germany against Portugal".

Germany midfielder Sami Khedira claims his Real Madrid teammate has told him this is Portugal's time to break its German bogey. Arsenal forward Lukas Podolski says the Germans respect dead-ball specialist Ronaldo, but there is no fear.

"We have prepared ourselves to play Portugal and not just one player," said Podolski, who is set to win his 115th cap.

"He is certainly extremely dangerous and can decide games, but we also have players capable of doing that. If we produce a good performance, then it doesn't matter what he does."

The million-dollar question is whether Germany can recreate its standard from four years ago when it finished third after hammering Argentina and England. Goalkeeper Manuel Neuer is set to play, but has labored with injury to his right shoulder while vice-captain Bastian Schweinsteiger is struggling for fitness after tendinitis of the knee.

His defensive midfield partner Khedira has spent most of the sea-son on the bench at Real Madrid after a serious knee injury.

Coach Joachim Loew only has one striker in his squad with 36-year-old Miroslav Klose just one short of equaling Ronaldo's all-time record of 15 goals atWorld Cup finals.

Arsenal's attacking midfielder Mesut Ozil is set to be pushed up front as a 'False Nine' with Bayern Munich's ToniKroos taking over in central midfield.

One factor which could play into the hands of Paulo Bento's fleet-footed Portuguese is Loew's decision to move captain PhilippLahm from rightback to midfield.

Loew is set to play four center-backs with Mats Hummels partnering Per Mertesacker with Jerome Boateng and Hoewedes used as wingbacks.

Portugal captain Cristiano Ronaldo (right) and his Germany counterpart Philipp Lahm are expected to play major roles in the Group G opener on Monday. Stan Honda / Jonathan Nackstrand / Agence France-presse

(China Daily 06/16/2014 page23)