Germans: No plans for shoot-out vs Greece, Schweinsteiger fit

Germany coach Joachim Loew has made no plans for a possible penalty shoot-out with Greece in the Euro 2012 quarter-finals on Friday and hopes that his team wins without such a climactic finale.

"We must see that we decide the game before (a shoot-out) ... We have a big chance (of winning) if we show our quality," said Loew in an interview Thursday with several private German television networks at the team's base camp in Gdansk.

"We do not want penalties. We want to decide the game in 90 minutes. We know that shoot-outs are part of the game. And we are prepared for that," German keeper Manuel Neuer told a press conference Thursday in Gdansk, where Germany take on the 2004 champions Greece.

"I hope there will not be a penalty shoot-out, but if there is one then we will leave the pitch as winners."

If the quarter-final showdown did come down to spot-kicks, Loew said he had full confidence that Bastian Schweinsteiger would be available even though the Bayern Munich midfielder failed to convert the last spot kick in the Champions League final against Chelsea.

"Schweinsteiger has enough confidence," Loew said.

Loew said he will use several criteria to pick the men if a shoot-out is required after 120 minutes in the Polish port city.

"The coach must decide after 120 minutes ... Who is still on the pitch? Who can do it? Who had good moments in the game?" Loew said.

The coach also said that Schweinsteiger would be fit for the match after going through individual training on Tuesday for an hour but returning to team training on Wednesday.

"He will definitely be able to play tomorrow. An ankle injury hindered him a bit (on Tuesday) so he worked out for one hour alone. Today he was at normal training," Loew told a press conference.

Loew said his team is not taking the Greeks lightly.

"We are prepared for the Greeks, who are a very dynamic and strong team. I believe it will be a very difficult match. They will play strong defence and we will need to prepare for that. But the one thing we will not do is underestimate the Greeks," said the coach.

"Everyone writes them off and they are there, in the quarter-finals. They are masters of survival."

Loew explained that the Greeks cannot be easily picked apart. But still he believes his system will work.

"If we can play our game and our system then we will get our chances. We will have to need our killer instinct, but we will also need our patience against their defence," said the coach.

One player who the Germans will not need to worry about is Giorgos Karagounis as the Greek captain is suspended for the match. But Loew knows another team-mate will step up.

"Karagounis is definitely a bit of the creator, he sets up goals and can score goals. But other players who will play - whoever that is - will be highly motivated and do the job," said Loew.

Neuer meanwhile said the German defence must watch Greek forward Fanis Gekas closely.

"They try to play the ball to the players up front with long balls. So it's important that we are prepared for that and keep an eye on them," said the German keeper.

"Gekas has a sense of knowing exactly where to be at the right time. It will be important that we have numbers against their attack, which I would assume."