spain

Germany V Spain

Wednesday, 7th July – 19:30 (GMT)
Moses Madhiba Stadium, Durban
Semi-Final

Germany

The Germans, arguably the most consistent national team there is, are bidding to become the first country to appear in no less than eight finals when they take on Spain for a place in the 2010 FIFA World Cup final in Johannesburg on Sunday. Were they to win it, and there’s no saying they won’t, then they will have surely have won the hardest World Cup yet, as both England and Argentina have had to be downed en route to a rightful berth into the last-four. Germany coach Joachim Low insists there will be no let up from his players, but surely they cannot continue playing the way they are which is out of their skin and thumping any side which dares stand in their way of a fourth FIFA World Cup title.

Once again we were blessed with an utterly mesmerizing display from the Germans, backing up their 4-1 humbling of England with a 4-0 rout of Argentina. We thought they were sensational against England but they were sheer briallance against Argentina right from the word ‘go’. Once they took an early lead through Thomas Muller, who incidentally missed the semi-final through suspension, there was no looking back, as the Germans continued to look menacing on the break and so resolute in defence. Despite their opponent boasting an array of forward talent; your Messi, Higuain and Tevez, Germany withstood everything that was thrown at them. In fact, Manuel Neuer was a passenger for the most part, although did look unconvincing when called upon, but on the whole it was another domineering performance from Germany, who continue to go from strength to strength in this tournament.

Quite how they will surpass their previous level of performance is beyond me as it was a footballing lesson for the eyes, but Germany will need to continue this fine vein of form if they are to push the reigning European champions all the way for a place in Sunday’s showcase. Their big names will have to show their worth once again, as they did against the English and Argentina. Bastien Schweinsteiger is having nthe tournament of his life in the heart of the German midfield, a stalwart as he watches over the defence whilst proving effective and useful in the attacking third as well. Mesut Ozil, who has been an inconsistent sort in his domestic career, has been consistently magnificent in these finals and is looking every bit the player of the tournament at this rate. While up front we have a forward gunning for the great Ronaldo’s scoring record of 15 goals in the finals of World Cup’s, with Miroslav Klose racking up four goals in South Africa so far and hungry for more on Wednesday no doubt.

Joachim Low needs another collective effort from his player on Wednesday, to once again work effectively as a team and as a unit. They will also need a great deal of patience as Spain are likely to retain possession for large periods of time and that could be a problem for a Germany team which has dominated possession in its last couple of games. We don’t for one minute expect another German rout, nor do we see the Germans outclassing their opponents, and so the Germans could come unstuck as in the knock-outs they’ve had it all their own way and that will change against Spain. It’s intriguing to see whether Germany can rise to this new challenge.

Spain

Spain are about to enter into uncharted waters on Wednesday, competing against a nation which has been there and done that on the footballing stage in what remains just their second ever semi-final appearance in a World Cup. However, what they lack in know-how and experience they make up for in talent, quality and technical ability as the world’s second best team aim to justify their FIFA Ranking by despatching of the team of the tournament so far in Germany.

The Spanish have made a meal of getting to the semi-final mind, with a 2-0 win over Honduras their largest and most comprehensive win so far of these finals. That doesn’t really matter though when you’re at this stage of the tournament, a point where only those who win are ever really remembered. Spain’s record in these finals currently stands at 4-0-1, with that one and only defeat coming against Switzerland in their opening game of the finals. It was a huge shock then but Spain have bounced back to life courageously, winning their following four matches. They have, however, achieved victory by the narrowest of margins, with both of their knock-out wins coming via 1-0 wins over Portugal and Paraguay. The notable characteristic about both of those teams were they defended very well, and it is peculiar how this current Spanish team have struggled to break down well-drilled defences. The Germans have been outstanding in defence in their two knock-out encounters, with only a Matthew Upson header finding its way past Manuel Neuer in the German goal, so Spain will need to go some if they’re to break through a well guarded and confident German rearguard.

All the talk beforehand is about two players; Fernando Torres and David Villa. The pair are two of the greatest forwards in today’s game, with David Villa prolific in the Spanish La Liga and for Spain, and Fernando Torres equally so for Liverpool in England. However, only one has fired in these finals so far and that’s the former, David Villa. The newly signed Barcelona ace is the tournament’s leading goalscorer with five goals and is looking to cement his Golden Boot claims with a goal or two on Sunday, whereas Torres hasn’t even found the goal as of yet, and there is even talk of Vicente Del Bosque dropping the Liverpool striker for the clash with Germany. We don’t believe for one second that Del Bosque will risk dropping a player of Torres’ calibre for a game o this magnitude, as Torres has proven in recent tournament’s alone that he can score big goals, while it was his strike against Germany two years ago which handed Spain their first major international crown for nearly a half-a-century.

The Spain we all came to love at the EURO’s in 2008 hasn’t been a part of South Africa 2010, at least not yet, but that doesn’t mean we can write them off. If anything the signs look good, as with Spain not playing particularly well, nowhere near the level at which we know they can perform, they’ve still managed to evade all the challenges presented to them. They’re in the last-four of the 2010 FIFA World Cup without playing to their full potential or capacity and that’s a dangerous thought. There will come a time, and it could very well be on Wednesday night, when Spain will show themselves to be the force to be reckoned with like they were two years ago. The worry though, what with the form and confidence of Germany right now, Spain will need to raise their game substantially if they are to qualify for their first ever final of a World Cup, as they try to emulate a feat Germany achieved back in 1974 when they lifted both the FIFA World Cup following their European Championship triumph in 1972.

Match Odds:

Germany – 2.90 WilliamHill
Draw – 3.30 Ladbrokes
Spain – 2.70 bWin

Our Prediction: Draw – 3.30 Ladbrokes

No matter what we threw into the equation, the draw kept poking its way out. The Germans have been exceptional in the knock-outs but will face their sternest test of the tournament so far in a Spanish side equipped to handle everything that Germany have to offer as well as give more back in return. The only difference between the two is Germany have come to the fore in South Africa, and then some, while the Spanish have yet to really establish themselves and match all the pre-tournament hype.

Germany have scored more goals in their knock-out victories over England and Argentina than Spain have in the entire competition, but their previous opponents have allowed them to dictate the tempo of the game while you cannot undervalue just how clinical and decisive grabbing that early goal is. In Spain, a team which will close Germany down far more when not in possession whilst retaining it in an almost flawless fashion themselves, Joachim Low will have to demand an even more resolute and industrious effort from his player as anything less than 100% will be punished. If we’re honest, Germany are the favourites in our opinion, but there’s no team better equipped to dethrone a team so full of confidence and boasting tonnes of momentum than Spain, so we’re split right down the middle with this one.

Recommended Bet: Under 2.5 Goals – 1.70 bWIn

Current Germany v Spain Odds:

Less than a week ago, I made the point that Germany were being underrated by the bookmakers despite thrashing England 4-1 in Bloemfontein, with Sporting Bet offering Die Mannschaft at 7/1 on the outright market before they taught Argentina a footballing lesson on Saturday. Since Fabio Capello’s team were knocked out of the World Cup, there has been much criticism levelled at the players, manager, set-up and the fact that too many foreign players feature in the Premier League. The English media seem to be missing an obvious point – they were beaten by superior opponents.

Germany are now 21/10 (Paddy Power) win the World Cup for the first time since they became a unified nation and it would be apt considering how united the team have been over the past fortnight. They have produced three outstanding performances to score four goals against Australian, English and Argentine opposition, while they were the victims of a bad refereeing decision when losing their second game of the tournament to Serbia.

These odds are roughly the same as the price you will get for Spain or Holland to win their first ever World Cup and they both possess some excellent individual players. However, there’s only one team were the sum of parts is greater than the individuals on show and that’s Germany. Joachim Loew’s team defend with two rows of four players when they haven’t got the ball, while Lukas Podolski, Mesut Ozil and Thomas Muller are all quick to support Miroslav Klose in attack.

Spain are 2/1 (Blue Square) to win the 2010 World Cup and it’s set to be an intriguing encounter between themselves and Germany on Wednesday night. There seems to be persistent rumours that many members of the Spanish squad are feeling the burn after a long season, especially as Andres Iniesta and Fernando Torres were injured in the lead-up to the tournament. While it hasn’t stopped David Villa being brilliant in every match, one wonders about how the slow defence of La Furia Roja can stop the Germans flowing forward in numbers, with Gerard Pique appearing to be a liability.

Then we have the Netherlands, a team that were trading at 25/1 on betfair when trailing 1-0 to Brazil at half-time of their quarter final match. Wind the clock forward three days and they are now trading at 9/4 (Victor Chandler) to win the World Cup with Uruguay an opponent that appear to be there for the taking. However, an improved second half performance against the Selecao can’t disguise the fact that this Dutch team have flattered to deceive all tournament and that previous performances against Slovakia, Cameroon, Denmark and Japan were all winning ones without playing well.

If the Uruguayans stop Robben, then they might have some joy and Diego Forlan will be hoping to see plenty of the ball, with Gregory van der Wiel and Nigel de Jong missing for the Dutch. They are carrying the flag for South America and Paddy Power offer 12/1 that La Celeste win the World Cup.

Spain coach Vicente Del Bosque has the luxury of having no fresh injury concerns, nor does he have to contend with any suspensions. Gerard Pique, Xabi Alonso and Sergio Busquets have all picked up a caution along the way to making the last-four of the competition but all three players will see their slates wiped clean due to this new FIFA ruling of wiping cautions away at the semi-final stage as to avoid anyone missing the final through suspension. In terms of injury news, defender Raul Albiol is in contention to start his first game of the finals after seemingly winning his fitness battle and could take his place in a defence which has conceded just two goals in these finals, keeping three cleans sheets en route to the semi-final.

All the talk before this exciting last-four meeting with Germany is the possibility of Fernando Torres starting the match on the bench, as the Liverpool striker has endured a difficult stay in South Africa so far and has yet to score his first goal of the tournament. Fernando Llorente, who looked especially lively and strong in possession when introduced in the second half against Portugal at the Round of 16 stage, could receive a rare start for Spain, although we shouldn’t forget that it was Torres who scored Spain’s winner in the European Championship final two years ago in Austria/Switzerland against Germany, thus proving he has the ability to break through the German rearguard and is a player for the biggest occasion despite not managing a single goal in Spain’s World Cup campaign, including the qualifiers.

Fernando Torres, should he start against Germany, is a best priced 13/2 with bWin to score the game’s first goal – 2/1 with PaddyPower to score anytime and grab his first goal in South Africa – but his striking partner, although he’s been deployed as a left-winger so far in the tournament, is likely to attract most of the market support, with David Villa accounting for five of Spain’s six goals and with the FIFA World Cup 2010 Golden Boot within his sights – now firm favourite at 1.57 with Totesport, looks a good bet to get on the scoresheet first at 9/2 with bWin. Andres Iniesta is the other, the only Spaniard other than David Villa, to have scored in these finals and is 14/1 to score first with Bet365 – 11/2 to score anytime with ExtraBet (Not including extra-time).

Honduras are the only team in this tournament that Spain have despatched with a touch of ease and comfortability, beating the North Americans 2-0 via a David Villa brace. Their three other victories, including their two knock-out wins over Portugal (1-0) and Paraguay (1-0), have been by a one goal margin and Spain are 4.30 (10/3) to Win by 1 Goal on Wednesday with Bet365. You will have also noticed that their two knock-out wins have been by a 1-0 scoreline and Spain are 7/1 with 888Sport to emulate those two scorelines, while another ‘To NIL’ victory is priced at 4.30 (10/3) by Ladbrokes.

For the more straightforward and uncomplicated punter, Spain to win within normal time are 2.70 (17/10) with bWin and can be found at 1.95 (18/19) to qualify with the same firm.

Uruguay V Holland – Tuesday, 6th July (19:30 GMT)

Suspension and injuries have plagued the Uruguay camp ahead of the nation’s biggest sporting event for decades, as Luis Suarez and Jorge Fucile are both ruled out of the Holland contest while Diego Godin and Diego Lugano are both doubts. They still have their heartbreak kid, Diego Forlan, who continues to break hearts with his sublime goals. The Atletico Madrid schemer scored twice against South Africa and a scorching free-kick against Ghana in the last round, and with the majority of the African support now heading Holland’s way, could he once again be Africa’s nemesis? We don’t see it if we’re entirely honest, and with this depleted Uruguay team going face-to-face with Brazil’s conquerors, we see only one winner.

GET ON Holland, who have won just one of their five games by more than a one goal margin, to make haste of this nervy semi-final situation and beat Uruguay by 3 Goals or More. SkyBet will generously hand out odds of 6/1 on this scenario, while Holland to Score 3 or More goals in 90 minutes can be had at 7/2 (same firm). See the latter as an insurance bet in case Uruguay, Forlan notably, squeezes in a goal for the South Americans.

Germany V Spain – Wednesday, 7th July (19:30 GMT)

In one corner we have the irrepressible and unstoppable Germans, in the other the not so prolific but more clinical Spanish. With Germany in their current form and finding goals so easy to come by, many are expecting another goal rush. We don’t see that happening, as the Spanish will enjoy far more of the ball than any of Germany’s knock-out victims have done while their defence, one which has been a tad suspect in these finals, has conceded just two goals of which one was very scrappy and the other took a wicked deflection.

WE SAY have a nibble at the 8/1 readily available on the 0-0 (Correct Score) being offered by Bet365, SkyBet and SportingBet. There’s no way Joachim Low will tell his German troopers to go out all guns blazing as that will play right into Spain’s hands. A more cautious approach from the Germans here, while Spain have struggled to break every side bar Honduras down in these finals, although worryingly they have tended to find a way through in the end. Spain are 7/1 with 888Sport to win their third successive game 1-0, but the 0-0 has far more appeal. It’s 1.70 (7/10) there’s no more than 2 goals in this match (bWIn).

It doesn’t take a genius to work out that a player will score more goals during a football tournament if he plays more games. Therefore, it’s little surprise that only five men can win the 2010 World Cup Golden Shoe and that the quintet are all playing for teams left in the competition.

It’s been a highly competitive betting market this summer which saw Gonzalo Higuain installed as early favourite after a hat-trick against South Korea took the Argentina striker well clear of the chasing pack. However, the Real Madrid forward was only able to add one more goal to his tally and was leapfrogged by a Spanish striker in the form of his life on Saturday night.

David Villa has been nothing short of phenomenal in South Africa, with the Barcelona forward scoring in every match since that opening game defeat against Switzerland. His late winner against Paraguay has taken him a goal clear at the top of the scoring charts and he may not need to find the net again to add a world award to the European one that was landed two years ago. The 28-year-old is no bigger than 7/10 on betfair, with the fixed-odds firms no bigger than 8/15 (Sporting Bet).

Perhaps Villa will struggle to get any change out of Philipp Lahm, the German right-back and captain who is one of the best in the business. The Bayern Munich player will be looking to also get forward and support his club team-mate Miroslav Klose, who seems to turn from Clark Kent to Superman when he dons the international colours. Four years ago, the Munchen forward won the Golden Shoe and he’s 4/1 (Paddy Power) to repeat this achievement. If you back him at 4/1 and he dead heats with one other player, you will get half your stake paid at odds of 2/1.

Meanwhile Wesley Sneijder is right in the thick of things after FIFA made the odd decision to award Holland’s opening goal against Brazil to the Inter midfielder. Although the ball took a clear deflection off the head of Felipe Melo, the football body’s Technical Study Group has decided that the Netherlands’ number ten is worthy of the goal and that means he’s on four for the tournament with Uruguay lying in wait. Totesport offer a stand-out 12/1 that he finishes top of the pile and it’s possible that his team will fill their boots against the south Americans.

The final player in contention  is Diego Forlan, who stands on three goals after firing a brace home against South Africa and then managing an equaliser against Ghana on Friday night. The Atletico Madrid striker has been crucial to the team’s progress at this World Cup, although it’s asking a lot for him to manage a brace against the Netherlands, especially with strike partner Luis Suarez missing suspended. Ladbrokes offer 25/1 that the former Manchester United forward gets the goals he needs.

Friday 2nd July was the most exciting day of the World Cup so far, with the first two quarter final matches being played at Port Elizabeth and Johannesburg respectively. While neither games were classic encounters, both contained plenty of drama and saw the eventual victors come from behind to triumph and set up an intriguing contest in Cape Town next Tuesday.

During their last eight match against Brazil, the Netherlands were available at around 30/1 on betfair’s outright market, with nothing to suggest that this team were going to overcome a 1-0 deficit at half-time. Bert van Marwijk’s team had seemed short of ideas and the Selecao had spurned several chances to double their advantage. However, a spirited second half comeback from the Dutch means they are now the 9/4 favourites (Paddy Power) to win their first ever World Cup.

Holland could have been backed at 7/2 with Blue Square to win their match with Brazil and they were certainly helped by the opposition shooting themselves in the foot. Goalkeeper Julio Cesar made an uncharacteristic mistake to allow the opposition to equalise and the south Americans seemed to crumble shortly afterwards.

It was noticeable on the outright market that, as soon as Bert van Marwijk’s team took the lead, the odds on Spain winning their first ever World Cup began to contract. Vicente Del Bosque’s team had been around 3/1 before the Netherlands v Brazil game, although William Hill actually make them the 2/1 favourites even before they have played their quarter final match against Paraguay (and knowing that they will have to beat Germany or Argentina to make the final).

This shortening of Spanish odds is partly because it was felt that Brazil might have the players to nullify La Furia Roja if the two teams met in the final, although the removal of Dunga’s men makes Spain arguably the best side remaining in the 2010 World Cup. However, it’s interesting to note that the odds on Argentina (4/1 Sporting Bet) and Germany (6/1 Sky Bet) have barely changed in contrast.

As for Uruguay, they must have been ready to pack their suitcases after a Luis Suarez handball in the last minute of extra-time against Ghana seemed certain to help the Black Stars become the first African team to progress beyond the quarter final stage of the World Cup. However, Asamoah Gyan’s missed penalty allowed La Celeste to go through on spot kicks themselves and it will be great news for the shrewd punters who backed them at 25/1 shortly after Oscar Tabarez’s team beat Mexico to be sure of top spot in Group A.

The draw has been kind to the south American team who are now as short as 8/1 (Paddy Power) to win their first World Cup for sixty years, although Boylesports are a bit bigger with their 12/1 quote that Uruguay go all the way. They will be missing Suarez for the match in Cape Town, although the pressure will be off them as underdogs.

Paraguay V Spain Preview

Kick-off: Saturday, 3rd July – 19:30 GMT
Venue: Ellis Park, Johannesburg
World Cup Quarter-Final

Paraguay

Picking a successful dark horse is no easy feat, so congratulations are in order if you were clever enough to hand-pick Paraguay beforehand. However, the vibe inside camp is that the South American surprise package aren’t done just yet despite surpassing pre-tournament expectations by progressing as far as the quarter-finals, where a luxurious encounter against the reigning European champions awaits them. Both the coach and their celebrity forward, Roque Santa Cruz, have expressed their wishes to progress further in the tournament and indicated that there is still far more to come from their team-mates. But do the Paraguyans really have what it takes to knock the Spanish well and truly off their perch?

Paraguay have already set a new personal best just by making the last-eight, with their previous best merely a couple of Round of 16 appearances. The feeling within, though, is why should they let up now when the possibility of making the semi-final is strong despite the quality of their next opponent. If the South American’s are to go that step further, and it would be a pretty significant step as well, they need to pose more of a threat in the final third, as just three goals thus far is a poor tally and one that won’t strike any fear whatsoever into the Spanish ranks. The coach, Gerado Martino, has called for more goals, urging his star-studded forwards to pull their socks up for the good of the team, but as of yet the likes of Lucas Barrios, Nelson Valdez and Roque Santa Cruz, who all have the class and credentials to score at this level, haven’t performed.

Guranies topped a surprisingly exciting Group F above the 2006 FIFA World Cup winners Italy, as well as Slovakia and New Zealand. The confidence would have been oozing out of the players after such a momentous effort in getting to the top of the pack, but that early hype and euphoria seemingly diminished as nerves limited Paraguay against Japan. Martino’s men came across all sorts of problems breaking down a well-drilled Japanese defence, almost getting caught on the break as they pursued an opening goal. In the end, with neither side possessing that killer final ball of finish, it went down to penalties and it was Paraguay who kept their cool as they calmly fired home all fire of their spot-kicks. They’ll now have every confidence in their penalty taking ability should they manage to frustrate and nullifying the Spanish for 120 minutes, which in itself looks a huge challenge let alone beating Del Bosque’s charges without the need of a shoot-out.

It almost goes without saying that Paraguay need to offer a lot more up front if they’re to contest the right to play in the last-four of the competition, as while their defence has done remarkably well up till  now, with only Italy breaking through their rugged rearguard, they’ll do well to keep out a highly talented Spanish team. With that said, it does appear their best chance of winning this game is by defending stoutly and nicking a goal, either on the counter or from a set-piece. The call is for more goals, but the likelihood is Paraguay need some brave folk in defence is they wish to progress you feel, as well as some predator like finishing up the other end of the field.

Spain

It’s been well documented that Spain haven never won a World Cup before, not even contested a final in actual fact, but under Vicente Del Bosque they’ve found a squad capable of beating absolutely anyone on their day, as well as every tournament they participate in. They arrived in South Africa as European champions, but they came unstuck in the prep tournament when losing out to the United States in the semi-final. Then, for the first time in years, we began to see chinks in the Spanish armour and ever since we’ve seen a few more. For starters, they don’t cope well with all-out defence minded teams, which is a concern considering Paraguay have kept three cleans sheets in the competition so far. So how will they go about breaking down a stubborn South American side? And will they fall foul to another shocker?

Spain were the first team of the tournament to be on the receiving end of a shock result, losing 1-0 to Switzerland in Durban. That defeat actually left Spain on the brink of an early exit, leaving Del Bosque needing to mastermind back-to-back victories in order to make the cut for the Round of 16. In the end, Spain did so with something to spare. But, however, their reward for topping Group G was a last-sixteen tie with neighbours Portugal, who are another side with a fierce reputation for having a strong defence. Once again the Spanish struggled to find a way through a well guarded goal, and for moments looked as though they had no answer to the organised and disciplined two banks of four Portugal had set up. The difference in the end was David Villa, who has been their star performer all tournament in a team where a number of stars and influential figures simply haven’t brought their A-game to the table. Spain are fortunate enough to have a player of Villa’s calibre, someone who never shies away from the big occasion and is consistent as they come, but there’s only so far this guy can take them and unless other chip in with some assistance, Spain will come unstuck once more especially if Villa does have a rare off-day.

No-one will contest the fact that Spain should be favourites heading into this clash with Paraguay, as it’s a match they should win at a cantor on paper, regardless of their opponents mean defensive record of late. Spain have a better player in every position, from ambitious full-backs, midfield generals and deadly finishers, Spain have just about the perfect team. However, they are a side which can become frustrated when matters don’t go their way and were they to fire yet more blanks on Saturday, whose to say Spain won’t pay the price  for overcommitting like they did against the Swiss. Patience is the key against a team likely to defend resolutely throughout, and so long as Villa and Torres are given a bountiful supply of chances, the likelihood is a goal will be scored at some stage, and against a country which has a 50% failure rate when it comes to scoring at these finals, one goal may be all it takes. However, were they to grab it early in the game then the chances of Paraguay breaking out of their defensive shell are high meaning more space and gaps will be there for Spain to exploit.

Vicente Del Bosque has confirmed that under-fire forward Fernando Torres will start against Paraguay in what will probably be an unchanged starting eleven to that which overcame Portugal in the last round. In terms of suspensions, Xabi Alonso is the only player to receive a caution in these finals and would miss Spain’s next encounter should he pick up another on Saturday.

Match Odds:

Paraguay – 1.50 Bet365
Draw – 4.10 Boylesports
Spain – 8.50 ExtraBet

Our Betting Tip: Spain to WIN – 1.50 Bet365

The assumption that Paraguay will look to defend in large numbers is probably a safe one, although, from watching their performances up till this point, they don’t exactly look a side capable of quick counter-attacks. In fact, they look very reluctant at times to sprint into the oppositions half of the field and seem more to content to keep possession whenever possible, and against a team which know how to reorganise fast and quickly get back into rank, that’s a huge concern. The plus point is Spain haven’t dealt particularly well with set-plays so far in South Africa, with the normally reliable Iker Casillas a fumbling wreck. 

In our opinion, anything less than a comfortable Spanish victory would be a big surprise. Granted Paraguay have only conceded one goal, that coming against Italy, but they’ve faced either defensive or poor attacking teams up till now. Spain will ask so many questions of their defence that we just don’t see them having too many answers. If Spain grab that early goal they will go in search for right from the off, it will be curtains for Paraguay. The fact of the matter is, we, as well as the majority of punters, don’t see Spain not scoring at some point in 120 minutes and with that in mind, as well as Paraguay lacking the sort of guile and craft needed to break down a talented defence such as Spain’s, there’s only one viable outcome.

Recommended Bet: Spain to WIN by 3 Goals or More (Winning Margin) – 5.00 SkyBet

Current Paraguay v Spain Odds:

Argentina

Argentina have kept their discpline in these finals, having received just five cautions after four games. Jonas Gutierrez has two but has already served a suspension, but Javier Mascherano and Gabriel Heinze are two players which could pick up another yellow against Germany on Friday and would then miss the semi-final against either Spain or Paraguay.

Brazil

Dunga has his work cut out with injuries, as Elano is ruled out of Friday’s encounter with Holland while Felipe Melo and Julio Baptista are major doubts. A highly likely replacement for Melo would have been Benfica’s Ramires, but his second yellow card of the tournament against Chile in the previous round means he will serve out a one-game suspension. Kaka, Luis Fabiano and Juan are all one caution away from missing the semi-final against either Uruguay or Ghana.

Germany

It has been well documented that Bastian Schweinsteiger and Mesut Ozil have been nursing injuries, or knocks, but both are likely to start after playing pivotals roles in dismantling England in the previous round. However, Cacau has been ruled out entirely from featuing against Argentina on Friday, while Lukas Podolski missed some training in the lead up to the big game although is expected to start nonetheless. There are, though, a host of key players on the verge of missing the semi-final, should Germany qualify, through suspension; Per Mertesacker, Bastian Schweinsteiger, Mesut Ozil, Thomas Muller, Philip Lahm and Arne Friedrich.

Ghana

Jonathan Mensah leaves coach Rajevac with a defensive void to fill, as the centre-half serves out a one-game suspension, as does Andre Ayew. It is, however, the news that Kevin-Prince Boateng, who opened the scoring against the United States in a 2-1 Round of 16 victory, is a massive doubt to feature against Uruguay on Friday, while three-goal forward Asamoah Gyan is recovering from an ankle injury sustained in that USA win. The latter is, however, expected to be fit in time for Friday’s showdown. Anthony Annan, Prince Tagoe, Isaac Vorsah and Lee Addy are one yellow card away from a suspension.

Holland

To the sheer delight of the Dutch contingency over in South Africa, Arjen Robben has seemingly found a new bill of health and after starting against Slovakia in the previous round, scoring the opener as well, Robben is set to start his second game in succession against Brazil. He remains Van Mariwjk’s only injury concern, while no player will serve out a suspension, although a whole host are one caution away from doing so; Stekelenberg, Van Der Wiel, Van Bronckhorst, Kuyt, Nigel de Jong, Robin Van Persie, Van der Vaart and Boulahrouz.

Paraguay

We haven’t been made aware of any injury setbacks, so coach Gerado Martino should have a full squad of 23 fit players to choose from, which is just as well considering their next assignment is against the current European champions, Spain. Their star man, Roque Santa Cruz, is a card away from missing a potential semi-final, as are Enrique Vera and Cristian Riveros.

Spain

Coach Vicente Del Bosque doesn’t appear to have any apparent absentee’s, although there are several carrying knocks or nursing minor injuries; Xavi, Andres Iniesta and Fernando Torres three of note. Xabi Alonso is the only player to receive a caution for Spain in the whole tournament so far, so only a red card would stop any of Spain’s stars from participating in the semi-final.

Uruguay

Nicolas Lideiro has already served a one-game suspension, but other than that manager Oscar Tabarez has little to worry his cotton socks over ahead of a daunting last-eight clash against the team the whole of Africa will be supporting in Ghana. Diego Lugano, Jorge Fucile and Mauricio Victorino are just a yellow card away from missing a tasty last-four encounter against either Brazil or Holland.

While we have done our utmost to notify everyone of any suspensions and injuries, we cannot guarantee that every piece of suspension/injury news will be reported. We will, however, update when and if we hear any news whenever necessary.