Lahm to play at left-back against Portugal
Reuters - Thursday 07 June 2012, 11:53
Germany captain Philipp Lahm will
switch from his favoured right-back position to the left for
their Euro 2012 Group B match against Portugal on Saturday, said
coach Joachim Low.
It will not be the first time Lahm has changed positions,
having played on the left for Germany before and even switching
positions halfway through matches at Euro 2008.
"The coach sees me in that position and I accept it. I have
shown in other tournaments that I can play there," the Germany
captain said on Thursday after announcing his coach's decision.
Low said he had yet to decide whether to use Jerome Boateng
on the right or youngster Lars Bender, a midfielder, as he draws
up his plans to stop Portugal captain Cristiano Ronaldo.
"It is very good for us that Philipp will play on the left.
There he is very valuable for us," Low told reporters.
"On the right the first alternative is Jerome Boateng but
Lars Bender has been very good in training in that position. I
like him there."
"He [Bender] has a lot of potential and I have a very good
feeling because I can always bring him on."
SHAKY DEFENCE
Germany's defence has looked far from secure in the past few
months and conceded five goals in a 5-3 defeat by Switzerland in
a friendly in late May but Low said he was convinced his back
line would hold up against the quick Portuguese.
"I am confident about my defence. We will be much more solid
than in our game against Switzerland," added the 52-year-old.
Low said he was unhappy with Boateng's late-night hotel
appearance with a German model and friends in Berlin just hours
before their departure for Poland but that his thoughts of a
possible switch in defence were unrelated to that.
A German newspaper ran several pictures of Boateng meeting
with his friends at the hotel.
"I did not like what happened on the weekend. I told him [Boateng] that and I told the team as well. Yes, it was his free
time but it was Sunday to Monday. He must be in a position to
give it everything he has got in this tournament," said Low.
The three-time European champions also face Netherlands and
Denmark in a tough group at the tournament being co-hosted by
Poland and Ukraine.