'Where's the euphoria?' moans Muller
Reuters - Wednesday 20 June 2012, 12:22
Germany may have put in their
best ever group stage performance at a European Championship,
winning all three matches, but the players are feeling none of
the euphoria they expected ahead of Friday's quarter-final with
Greece.
"At public viewing areas in Germany there is the enthusiasm
but not much is being transported over to us here," said
midfielder Thomas Muller.
"We need to build it up a bit because it feels like even if
we win title that we should be ashamed of it," he said.
Muller blamed German media for being too critical despite
the team's flawless campaign in qualifying and at the tournament
so far.
The three-time European champions are odds-on favourites to
beat Greece in Gdansk and book a place in the last four, having
won 14 competitive games in a row after losing their 2010 World
Cup semi-final to Spain.
Almost half a million people in Berlin alone have watched
their games in the capital's massive public viewing area since
the start of the tournament earlier this month.
"The expectations are high but I find it strange that there
is so much stepping on the euphoria brake and looking for
mistakes. We won three straight group games, we have exceeded
expectations," added Muller.
"It should be a bit more positive than it is depicted in the
media. I as a player hope that there is a bit more euphoria. We
are not receiving it here," he said.
Germany will at least have the support of German Chancellor
Angela Merkel in the stands on Friday after she rescheduled her
programme and decided to attend the match.