Only Argentina's best will beat Germany - Lagerback
Sweden coach Lars Lagerback has a message for Argentina ahead of their quarter-final meeting with World Cup hosts Germany in Berlin on Friday; hit top form or pack your bags and head home.
The Swede was doing just that after watching his own team lose to Jurgen Klinsmann’s constantly improving team in Munich on Saturday thanks to two rapid-fire strikes by Lukas Podolski, and Lagerback believes the Germans have a decent chance of succeeding in the competition.
“You have to be on top of your game to beat Germany and you won’t get anything for free against this German team,” said Lagerback.
“Germany has a good team, I think they showed that in this game and in the group stage. After a good start they controlled the game well. I think they have a good chance. They have a fair chance to go on in this tournament.
“I think we showed after the two goals that we can play at the same level as they did, although they changed their game when we were playing with 10 men. The strong side of the team is that Mr Klinsmann and his staff work hard for each other.”
Sweden’s elimination is the third time in a row at a major tournament that the team has been knocked out in the second round but Lagerback has no intentions to stand down from his post as a result.
“To be honest I have not, thought about it, but I normally fulfil my contracts and I will do so this time, unless someone at the association has different thoughts,” he said.
Aston Villa defender Olaf Mellberg, meanwhile, was frustrated that, after emerging from a group featuring England, Paraguay and Trinidad and Tobago, the Swedes are on their way home so early in the competition.
“We have done well in the group stages,” he said. “We were undefeated in the last three championships in tough groups and then we have gone out in the first game against Senegal, Holland and today Germany. It is a little bit disappointing.”
However, Mellberg believed the Swedes should be proud of their achievements in Germany.
“We are not a big football nation,” he said. “We are not one of the favourites to win a tournament like this so I think it is a great achievement to have gone this far and to qualify for the World Cup and then to be undefeated again the group stages.
“Obviously it is disappointing today but in a few days when we look back at it we can be very satisfied.”
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