Germany v Saudi Arabia - match preview

Germany coach Rudi Voller admits his team are like Jekyll and Hyde as they prepare to open their World Cup campaign against Saudi Arabia on Saturday.

The Germans were humiliated 5-1 by England during qualifying, and also humbled 1-0 by Wales last month.

On a more positive note they have struck at least four goals in five of their last seven games.

Voller will be hoping it is the good side that turns up when they meet the Saudis, who have been talking up their own chances of reaching the second round, at the Sapporo Dome.

"We can beat many teams on any given day, but we can also lose against many on a bad day," said the former World Cup winner.

"Saudi Arabia will try to play with us if we let them, so we must put them under pressure, force them to make mistakes.

"It's really up to us, we have to impose our game."

Germany have been boosted by the news that star midfielder Michael Ballack is likely to play.

The man who inspired Bayer Leverkusen's unlikely run to the Champions League final has been suffering with a foot injury, but will take painkillers if necessary.

Voller could not afford losing Ballack in addition to the five German players, including fellow midfielders Mehmet Scholl and Sebastian Deisler, who were ruled out of the competition through injury.

The 42-year-old coach is confident Ballack, who trained with the rest of the squad at the space age Dome this evening, will start.

"His injury was painful but not dangerous," said Voller.

Marko Rehmer, however, is not progressing as well, and could miss out through injury.

Germany arrived in Sapporo today from their base in Miyazaki, and were unhappy to find that journalists were also staying at their team hotel.

They complained to FIFA, but any hopes they harboured of the media leaving the Kitahiroshima Prince Hotel in the hills outside of the city were soon extinguished by football's world governing body.

Spokesman Andreas Herren said: "We cannot kick them out if they have a reservation.

"Germany were unhappy that journalists were at the hotel, but sometimes it cannot be avoided."

Meanwhile, expectations are surprisingly low for a Germany team entering the World Cup finals.

Endres Endgar, match commentator on Germany's ARD radio, said: "Most people think Germany will probably reach the next round, perhaps the quarter-finals, but then it will definitely be the end.

"Assistant coach Michael Skibbe says they will make the final but I don't think that will be true."

However, defender Christian Ziege does believe Voller's men can prove the sceptics wrong.

Germany had to sneak into the tournament via the back door with a play-off victory over Ukraine after a disappointing qualifying campaign, hitting rock bottom with that Munich mauling.

Tottenham's Ziege, though, insists the players are at least in a confident mood.

"We believe that we can go a lot farther than a lot of people think," he said.

"I am convinced that we will convince all those who are not convinced.