The soon-to-be Arsenal striker insists that the national team will be at their best in Ukraine & Poland, citing the return of the Bayern Munich players as a major boost
Lukas Podolski has maintained that Germany will be back to its best at Euro 2012 in Ukraine and Poland after a humbling 5-3 defeat to Switzerland in Basel on Saturday.The striker, who recently confirmed his transfer to Arsenal, has promised better displays from Joachim Low's side and that the return of the Bayern Munich players to the squad will be a major improvement to the side.
The defeat to the Swiss raised many eyebrows, with the Germans one of the favorites to become European Champions in the summer, but Podolski is looking to re-focus on their opening game against Portugal on the 9th June, still confident of being successful at the tournament.
"Of course defeats like this shouldn't happen and they hurt, and losing 5-3 to Switzerland is definitely not on, but I can promise there will be a different team on the field [against Portugal]," Podolski told the national team's website. "It has been the same in previous years, when we lost 4-1 to Italy [in 2006], for example.
"We have got to live with the criticism. We are all focusing on Portugal and have got to be fit for that game, and we will be fit. There is no doubt that with the eight Bayern players here, the quality improves. They are top guys and we have missed them."
The side was given leave to attended the Monaco Grand Prix on Sunday to take its minds off the shock defeat in Basel, in which Eren Derdiyok got a hat-trick for Ottmar Hitzfeld's side.
"It was a good day for us to get our heads free," Podolski stated. "I enjoyed it and the lads enjoyed it too, but now we are focusing on the Euros."
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