Germany have already taken a swipe at England ahead of their Euro 2020 showdown next week, posting ‘It’s coming home’ after securing their place in the last 16 of the tournament on Wednesday night.
The two old foes will meet at Wembley on Tuesday after England secured top spot in Group D with their win over the Czech Republic before Germany finished second in Group F on Wednesday.
It will be the first meeting of the two countries at a major tournament since Germany beat England 4-1 in the last 16 of the 2010 World Cup in South Africa.
England come into the game, which will be broadcast on BBC One, having won two of their three group matches but the Germans have already started the mind games by taunting Gareth Southgate and his players.
The German national team’s official Twitter account posted ‘It’s coming home’ in Germany after their draw with Hungary.
German goalkeeper and captain Manuel Neuer also claimed after that match in Munich that Wembley ‘suits us’.
He said: ‘It’s a completely different game. You’ve seen it when we play against stronger teams.
‘We have great guys and we still have confidence, even though we played 2-2 against Hungary. It’s a knockout game, we want to go further. Wembley suits us.’
Germany have already taken a swipe at England ahead of their Euro 2020 clash next week
The German national team’s Twitter account wrote: ‘It’s coming home’ in German after their 2-2 draw with Hungary on Wednesday night
Gareth Southgate’s England side will take on the Germans at Wembley on Tuesday night
Germany legend and former Chelsea and Bayern Munich midfielder Michael Ballack agreed with Neuer and also said that England’s performances at the tournament so far ‘haven’t convinced me’.
He commented: ‘I think we are favourites against England. They haven’t convinced me yet and they suit us better.
‘Going forward, we don’t have to be afraid of them. But of course we need an improvement in performance.’
German fans also seem extremely confident that they will have no trouble beating Harry Kane and Co and go on to book their place in the quarter-finals.
@its_me_axad appeared to completely disregard England’s chances and tweeted: ‘Who are we (Germany) facing in the quarters then?’
Another seemed relaxed about the draw, posting: ‘I’m really good with this matchup. You only need two goals against England’, alluding to Southgate’s side struggling to find the back of the net so far.
@j6kimmich added: ‘To be honest they (England) r much easier than Hungary’.
Another fan told Germany manager Joachim Low that if he plays Chelsea duo Timo Werner and Kai Havertz then England ‘will be history’.
One simply wrote: ‘England will be eliminated by us on Tuesday’.
One fan seemed to completely disregard England’s chances of beating Germany at Wembley
However, some in the German media have cast doubt over their chances of beating England in Thursday morning’s newspapers.
Disappointing performances against France and Hungary in the group stage left the German media feeling less confident than usual ahead of facing the Three Lions, despite publication BILD taunting England by labelling Wembley ‘our favourite stadium’.
‘We are through… but nobody knows why!’ reads their headline reflected on a gripping match against Hungary.
Their article, which says Germany ‘trembled’ against Hungary, adds: ‘German football is escaping its next full embarrassment by a hair’s breadth!’
‘As runners-up in the group, we qualify for the round of 16. Meet on Tuesday in England at Wembley. In our favorite stadium. A classic. But it has to get better. Much better. Otherwise we look old against the hitherto harmless English.’
The ‘favourite stadium’ remark reflects victories at Euro 96 and in the final game at the old stadium in 2000.
German publication BILD write: ‘We are through… but nobody knows why’ on Thursday
Raheem Sterling (centre) has scored both of England’s winning goals at the tournament so far
Bild’s fellow German outlet DW issue a scathing assessment of where Joachim Low’s Germany are at, saying they ‘got more than they deserved’ by finishing second in their group.
Welt describe England as Germany’s ‘acid test’, saying: ‘Relief and joy are justified and understandable… The 2-2 against Hungary showed above all the weaknesses of the team. Again.
‘Germany has not yet found its way into the tournament. The round of 16 at Wembley is a real acid test for this team. Or their end.’
Frankfurt broadsheet FAZ wrote: ‘Germany won’t be able to consider themselves as favourites against England.’
‘Germany’s next opponent is a class above,’ wrote Berlin’s biggest newspaper Der Tagesspiegel.