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The Dragons' Euro 2016 exploits means that news of the vote to leave the EU has not been a priority, but the national team manager wants to stay focused on football
Chris Coleman maintains his only focus with his homeland in the throes of 'Brexit' is to ensure Wales stay in Europe through their Euro 2016 campaign for as long as possible.
Voters in the UK decided by a margin of 52 to 48 per cent to leave the European Union on Thursday, with the majority of Welsh voters also in favour of that course of action that prompted Prime Minister David Cameron to announce he will step down.
Ahead of the all-British last-16 tie against Northern Ireland at the Parc des Princes on Saturday, Coleman was understandably forced to field questions at his pre-match news conference over a subject he feels his side simply cannot afford to be concerned with at this stage.
"Talking about being in or out of Europe - we're still in [Euro 2016] and that's all I care about," he said.
"We've seen it on the news but we'll talk about that when we get back from the tournament, whenever that may be.
"I think the lads have been watching all the football that's been on, we've been part of it and that's been the focus."
Picking up on his boss' ear for a pun on the referendum campaign, captain Ashley Williams added: "We're certainly trying to remain here as long as we can.
"You do miss stuff from back home but we don't want to be back there too soon."
Coleman has enjoyed stints working abroad for Real Sociedad in La Liga and at Greek club Larissa.
While he was unsure over the impact Brexit will have upon the prospects of his colleagues taking on similar roles, the 46-year-old lamented a reluctance of among British coaches historically to take a chance and widen their football education abroad.
"Even before the result, I'm disappointed more coaches from back home don't travel abroad," he said.
"Everybody wants to work in our country. I'm pretty sure if we tried a bit harder… you may not get into Italy or Germany or somewhere like that.
"I was out of work and went to the second division in Greece because I wanted to work, wanted to get better."
He added: "It's all nice and tidy isn't it? We know what it's like at home. I don't think I can say that management is ever comfortable but we know our surroundings, we know the leagues.
"It's a shame in the past that more coaches and managers haven't taken the leap because it's worth it - it's petrifying, I know it's not easy, but it wasn't half worth it in terms of experience.
"What will happen in future? I'm not sure. It will probably be more difficult."
Beckenbauer would prefer Germany to play Spain over Italy
By Tom Webber
Der Kaiser insists he hopes Die Mannschaft take on the defending champions in the last eight rather than the Azzurri, who dumped his nation out of Euro 2012 in the semi-finals
Franz Beckenbauer would prefer Germany to face Spain rather than Italy in the quarter-finals at Euro 2016.
Germany booked their place in the last eight with a comfortable 3-0 victory over Slovakia at Stade Pierre-Mauroy on Sunday.
Their opponents in the quarter-final will be the winner of the round-of-16 clash between defending champions Spain and 2012 runners-up Italy, who knocked out Joachim Low's side en route to that final.
Despite criticism of a lack of star quality in Antonio Conte's squad, Beckenbauer would prefer to face the holders in the next stage.
"Big compliments for that win against Slovakia. The quarter final will be against Spain or Italy now," he told Bild.
"Spain is more flexible, but still I'd rather have them as opponents. Italy eliminated us too often without being the better team.
"Still, no matter who it is, we don't need to be scared."
Hosts France have been tipped to challenge for a first title since Euro 2000, but Beckenbauer thought they looked "clumsy" when coming from behind to beat Republic of Ireland 2-1 in the last 16.
"They had players who ran into each other several times," the German continued.
"In a round-of-16 match at a European Championship, for a title candidate it looked clumsy."
The 47-year-old insists he will continue to keep making alterations to his side when necessary as he looks to surprise teams in Les Bleus' bid to win Euro 2016 on home soil
Didier Deschamps has defended his team selection against Republic of Ireland and is adamant he will continue to keep making changes after guiding France to the quarter-finals of Euro 2016.
Les Bleus fell behind to an early penalty from Robbie Brady but hit back thanks to a second-half double from Antoine Griezmann to book their spot in the last eight.
Deschamps took off N'Golo Kante for Kingsley Coman and changed from a 4-3-3 formation to a 4-2-3-1 system in the second half - a switch that fuelled France's fightback.
The ex-Marseille boss has come under scrutiny for a perceived lack of clarity over his preferred starting XI, having juggled with a few different setups at the tournament so far.
However, Deschamps has hit back by rejecting the suggestion his use of Blaise Matuidi against Republic of Ireland was a "failed gamble".
"I don't gamble with my system," he told a news conference.
"I take these decisions based on discussions with my players but when things don't work out it's my fault. I take responsibility for that. Maybe we shouldn't have started this way, who knows?
"My substitutes can always contribute, not just tactically. It's about willpower and determination. We needed to shake things up. In the second half we saw more fluidity."
A quarter-final clash against England or Iceland awaits at Stade de France next Sunday, when, according to Deschamps, there will be no guarantee man of the match Antoine Griezmann will keep his place in the starting lineup.
"I know that Antoine normally plays up front but he's been good for us out wide as well," Deschamps continued.
"He showed his skill and [effectiveness] in front of goal. You need to find a good balance and we were balanced in the second half.
"That was the choice I made today and I might do it again. As I did against Romania with Anthony Martial playing and with Dimitri [Payet] in the middle. I've got some time to think about it."
Deschamps insisted the options presented by his versatile squad is an advantage as he looks to ensure France are difficult to plan against.
"I've got 23 players here, they're all available," he said.
"Just look at the German team, they've changed things around a lot.
"The only team who didn't change things around were Croatia. People said they were going to make the final. It doesn't always go as you think it will go.
"Our opponents only have to look on the TV to see [how] we're going to play, they will know. It's important to have different solutions."
The Iceland coach feels the Three Lions have played well, apart from when it comes to scoring goals, and is looking forward to taking on Roy Hodgson's men in the last 16
Lars Lagerback hopes England's attacking struggles will continue when they meet Iceland in Euro 2016's round of 16 on Monday.
Roy Hodgson's men had to settle for second spot in their group following a scoreless draw against Slovakia, having previously struggled going forward in their opening 1-1 draw with Russia.
Lagerback feels England have done well at the finals apart from their finishing and hopes their strikers will let them down versus Iceland, too.
"England have done rather well, except from scoring goals," Lagerback said at a news conference.
"Their performances have been good. But football is about scoring goals. I hope they will keep going like this. We want to keep them quiet even more than the other teams.
"It is always difficult to know what to expect. England will normally have more possession. We will see if we can step up that part of the game. We are hoping for the same sort of result as in previous games. The weather conditions will play a role, too.
"There is no need to keep the players down to earth. They are very strong mentally. They are looking forward to the game. We want to take the next step. I think they will be ready and show what they can do.
"We have practiced penalties a bit. Some were good, others not so much. Like normal really."
The underdogs are currently unbeaten at Euro 2016 and their skipper is not afraid of taking on the Three Lions, stating that the side want to take on the best
Iceland captain Aron Gunnarsson has stressed they do not fear England ahead of Monday's round-of-16 encounter at the Stade de Nice.
Lars Lagerback's men saw off Austria to reach the knockout stages, having previously drawn against Portugal and Hungary, and Gunnarsson is keen to see where they stand against Europe's finest.
"We are here to play against the best teams," he said at a news conference.
"We are not afraid of anyone. We are keen to measure ourselves against the best."
Gunnarsson has been impressed by England's performances so far in France, but is determined to fight for a place in the quarter-finals.
"We have been watching the tournament and I think England have been playing well. They have been playing decent football," he added.
"They didn't score against Slovakia, but they worked hard. We have to do the same. [Monday] is a big game and we are only thinking about that. We have to go out there and fight for it.
"The Austria game was difficult, of course, it was extra sweet to get the win in the end and get the extra two days to recover."
No back-three fears for Spain boss Del Bosque against Italy
Dom Farrell at the Stade de France
The 65-year-old is aware his side have struggled against teams who play a similar system to Antonio Conte's men but says he is not worrying about the Azzurri ahead of their clash
Vicente del Bosque acknowledges Italy's system has caused Spain problems in the past but he expects the European champions to shine in Monday's Euro 2016 last-16 clash.
Del Bosque and his players crashed out of the 2014 World Cup at the first hurdle, unable to take their title defence into the knockout stages after humbling losses to Netherlands and Chile.
Both those opponents operated with three centre-backs - a system favoured by Italy boss Antonio Conte and one almost certain to form the basis of his approach at the Stade de France.
But Del Bosque was keen to point to improvement from his own side, with Alvaro Morata excelling in the previously troublesome centre-forward position, and drew confidence from a 1-1 friendly result in Italy three months ago.
"I think we've made some tweaks so everyone knows what they have to do," he told a pre-match news conference in Saint-Denis.
"In the last game against Italy in Udine they played like this.
"We have had one or two problems against similar systems but hopefully we play our game, so they're worrying about us and we're not worrying about them."
Monday's match is a re-run of the Euro 2012 final, in which Spain thrashed Italy 4-0.
Del Bosque is proud of that triumph but does not envisage a repeat, stating fatigue was a factor for the Azzurri in Kiev four years ago.
"I think the game was conditioned by a lot of things," he explained. "Italy were very tired when they got to the final.
"Physically they had some injuries so they weren't the real Italy that they are now.
"I think they are a lot better. They were a bit knackered when they got to the final and we took advantage."
Conte, who will leave Italy to coach Chelsea at the end of the tournament, sought to rally his team in an impassioned briefing, although he insisted he felt Spain were favourites.
Cesc Fabregas mischievously suggested his incoming club boss may have been economical with the truth.
"He said they don't think they are favourites? I don't believe him," said the Spain midfielder.
"They have a great manager. From what I've seen he studies a lot and knows the opponent.
"We have to see on the pitch and hope that Spain are better."
The former assistant coach is preparing for the counter-attacking threat posed by the one-time winners, who shocked Spain to reach the last-eight stage
Joachim Low believes Germany's Euro 2016 quarter-final opponents Italy are a stronger side than four years ago – when they reached the European Championship final.
Germany go head-to-head with Antonio Conte's men in Bordeaux on Saturday after easing past their Round of 16 opponents Slovakia, but Low is wary of the threat posed by Italy's counter-attacking game.
The Azzurri have been impenetrable in their victories over Belgium, Sweden and Spain, and though they conceded a goal in their final group game against the Republic of Ireland, Low is focussing on how to break down one of the tournaments meanest defences.
"I'm looking forward to the game immensely," said Low. "Italy were very impressive [against Spain].
"Italy work well together in defence and have lots of quality in attack. They are a better team than in 2012.
"We need to avoid the Italy counter attack and have a good plan going forward.
"Sami Khedira is a clever player and I will be seeking his advice ahead of the Italy game."
Low has a fully fit squad and a whole week to prepare for the game, and he paid tribute to his medical staff for keeping his players in shape.
Defender Jerome Boateng was struggling with a calf injury prior to the 3-0 win over Slovakia, but intensive treatment helped him recover in time to play – and score – in the game.
Low said: "We have every player available. The medical team worked with Jerome Boateng non-stop prior to the Slovakia game. They did fantastically.
"I have faith in all my players. They are working incredibly hard in training. We can use the week to instill new impetus in preparation for the game. The break is not a disadvantage."
Poland v Portugal: Nani refutes Greece comparisons
Dom Farrell
Clive Mason/Getty Images
Fernando Santos' men are yet to truly impress at Euro 2016, but Nani feels they are playing an entertaining brand of football and hope to reach the semis
Nani believes Portugal's Euro 2016 quarter-final against Poland will be one to enjoy for the fans, rejecting suggestions that Fernando Santos' tactics have turned the team turgid.
Portugal qualified from Group F at Euro 2016 without winning a match and required extra time to see off Croatia 1-0 in Lyon in the last 16.
Three of their four goals during the round robin stage came during a helter-skelter 3-3 draw against group winners Hungary but Fenerbahce forward Nani does not believe Santos is shackling Portugal's creative talents with tactics akin to his 2010-14 spell in charge of Greece
"I do not see it like this," he said. "We have already played four games and Portugal's football cannot be compared to that of Greece.
"I think we have played good games, putting on a spectacle and against Hungary we scored a lot of goals – but, of course, it will not be possible to do this in all games.
"For me, it is one of the best moments of the national team. The group is excellent, young, all demonstrating team spirit, all pulling in the same direction and this has been one of the factors that shows we are stronger. We have all the conditions to go as far as possible."
Nani, who has two goals to his name in the tournament so far, expects a stern examination from Adam Nawalka's well-drilled Poland in Marseille on Thursday.
"The game does not have a favourite. We know that Poland is a very strong team, with experienced players," he explained.
"We have to be at our best, to go in with the confidence to try and win the game."
Nani's form, the sight of Ricardo Quaresma netting decisively against Croatia and the presence of teen sensation Renato Sanches in the Portugal squad is enough to convince Poland goalkeeper Wojciech Szczesny that all eyes should not be trained upon a familiar star at the Stade Velodrome.
"I would like to have Cristiano Ronaldo in the Poland team, even if not in his best form, but Portugal is not just Ronaldo. They are a strong team," Szczesny said.
"If I were to draw attention to one name, it would be Renato Sanches - [he has played] mainly from the bench, but he caused a lot of problems and has high quality."
One man not in the Poland team at present is Szczesny himself, having suffered a thigh injury during the opening 1-0 win over Northern Ireland before watching former Arsenal team-mate Lukasz Fabianski step impressively into the breach.
"It is difficult to say if I can go out and help the team with little more than one full training session completed," he added. "I am able to deal with the pain, but the injured muscle is not perfect yet. I just want to help the team in whatever way I can."
Poland welcome midfielder Bartosz Kapustka back from suspension, while Bayern Munich striker Robert Lewandowski - still without a goal in the tournament - is expected to shake off a minor thigh complaint.
The sides last met competitively in qualification for Euro 2008, with a 2-2 draw following a 2-1 home win for Poland in Chorzow. Ronaldo and Lewandowski were both on target during the latter fixture.
Key Opta stats
- This will be Poland and Portugal’s third encounter at a major tournament and their first in the European Championship. They have one win apiece so far: 1-0 to Poland at the 1986 World Cup and 4-0 to Portugal at the 2002 World Cup.
- Portugal are unbeaten in their 11 competitive fixtures under Fernando Santos (W8, D3), all eight of their wins in that run being decided by a single goal, including the extra-time win over Croatia.
- Portugal have picked up three yellow cards at Euro 2016, the fewest among the teams to have made it to the quarter-finals.
- Robert Lewandowski scored in the 17th minute of his first game at Euro 2012 against Greece. Since then, he has failed to find the net or deliver an assist in the competition in 643 minutes.
- Jakub Blaszczykowski has been directly involved in all five of Poland’s goals in the last two Euro tournaments (three goals, two assists).
- Cristiano Ronaldo has played in more games than any other player in the European Championship finals (18). He’s now only one goal short of Michel Platini’s record of nine goals in the competition.
- Ricardo Quaresma is the most prolific substitute so far at Euro 2016, with one assist (v Hungary) and one goal (v Croatia) after coming off the bench.
Redknapp has no faith in FA to appoint Hodgson successor
28 June 2016
Harry Redknapp has "no faith" in the Football Association's ability to select the best possible person to replace Roy Hodgson as England manager.
After a trio of sluggish performances in the Euro 2016 group stages, England suffered a hugely embarrassing 2-1 defeat to Iceland in the last 16.
Hodgson stepped down from his position in the aftermath, with coach Gary Neville, one of the early favourites to succeed him, also leaving his post.
Under-21s manager Gareth Southgate is the immediate favourite to be given the job, but Redknapp - who was overlooked for the job when Hodgson was appointed - thinks it would be too soon for him and is unsure where the FA should go next.
"Roy Hodgson could not possibly have survived as England manager but I've got no faith whatsoever in the Football Association picking the right man to succeed him," Redknapp wrote in The Telegraph.
"Hodgson had to go after what was arguably the worst result in England's history, a final embarrassment in what has been a dreadful tournament.
"They gave the job to Hodgson and he has failed spectacularly for the last two tournaments, or even three if you consider Euro 2012.
"I'm seeing Gary Neville being made one of the favourites to succeed Hodgson but how the hell can he be considered after the job he did at Valencia? He should be culpable, he has never coached proper players and it would just be jobs for the boys if he was to be appointed.
"Gareth Southgate has done a great job with the Under-21s but there's no way he is ready for the challenge of taking on the England team.
"I've got no idea where we go from here. Brendan Rodgers has taken the Celtic job so there's no chance of that while Eddie Howe is still too young.
"You can count me out - I've made it clear how I'd have liked the job in the past but they aren't going to consider me now.
"The FA are seriously going to have to pull a rabbit out of the hat because there don't seem to be any obvious contenders out there for me."
Viva Kuba! Poland’s Euro 2016 hero triumphing after childhood tragedy
Robin Bairner
Jun 30, 2016 07:25:08
Few footballers at the top level have come through trauma like the Dortmund man, who has re-emerged rejuvenated to lead his side's challenge in France
Nothing has come easy for Jakub Blaszczykowski in life, yet the tireless midfielder remains Poland’s most decisive big-match player, pushing even Robert Lewandowski into the shade so far at Euro 2016.
When it has really mattered, nobody has been more consistently vital to the Poles. In European Championship finals he has decisively contributed to five of his side’s last six goals, dating back to their faltering 2012 campaign when they were eliminated as co-hosts in the group stages.
This time around they have fared notably better, breaking new ground in the process. Thanks to a robust defence, Poland have progressed unbeaten to the quarter-finals, conceding only once in the process – and that an unstoppable wondergoal from Xherdan Shaqiri.
Much of the talk around the side has centred on the misfiring form of Lewandowski, and the squad would probably be on their summer holidays if it wasn’t for the man known as ‘Kuba’, who was written off by critics before the competition.
“There were quite a few who had already drawn a line under his international career in their thoughts,” Lukasz Piszczek told Kicker. “Kuba has had the last laugh.”
With Poland struggling to find a way through against Northern Ireland in their opening match, it was Blaszczykowski who set up Arkadiusz Milik to score the only goal of the game and hand his side a vital three points. Although the Poles were wasteful in their next outing against Germany, a scoreless draw, Kuba took it upon himself to strike the winner versus Ukraine in the final group game.
A similar story seemed to be playing out in their round of 16 encounter with the Swiss. While Lewandowski was mute, unable to get his first shot on target in the whole tournament until the second half of that game, Milik continued in his profligate manner. Kuba, though, bucked the trend of his team-mates with a composed finish past Yann Sommer before the break.
It was a crucial breakthrough. Poland were tiring and offered little in the way of attacking threat in the final half hour. While it took Shaqiri’s magical acrobatic strike to level matters, there was little doubt that the Swiss were in the ascendancy by the time penalties rolled around.
Of course, Blaszczykowski stepped up to score his as Adam Nawalka’s side progressed 5-4 with a succession of excellent kicks.
This tenacity and mental fortitude that Blaszczykowski shows on the field is a reflection on his willingness to battle his way through a complicated life.
When he was just 11, he witnessed his father stabbing his mother to death, and was brought up by his grandmother. Had it not been for the intervention of Jerzy Brzeczek, his uncle who once captained the Poland national side, Kuba might well have given the game up. Instead he has followed in his relation’s footsteps and wore the armband during Euro 2012.
“This will stay with me for my entire life. I'd give anything for my mother to be still alive,” Blaszczykowski, who celebrates his goals by pointing to the heavens in remembrance, told Polish television in 2010 in a rare interview about his past.
“What happened turned my life around by 180 degrees. It's like a rock fell on your head, and after a week you wake up and have to start life all over again. I'll never understand what happened, nor why.”
In a twist of fate, Blaszczykowski’s father died shortly before Euro 2012 began, causing his arrival to the country’s training camp to be delayed by a day as he attended the funeral. Despite his presence there along with brother Dawid, he had cut off contact with his dad after he was jailed for 15 years.
In spite of the emotional trauma this would surely have caused, he led his team with distinction in the weeks that followed, notably scoring a decisive late equaliser against Russia to keep his side alive going into the final round of group fixtures.
Now the Dortmund man is shining following more than two difficult years on the field. His problems began four minutes into a Bundesliga match with Augsburg in January 2014, when he suffered a cruciate ligament injury. After recovering from that setback, he wuas blighted by a series of minor but persistent problems in the following campaign.
A move to Fiorentina on loan from BVB, where he won two Bundesliga titles and finished as a runner-up in the Champions League, was made on the final day of the 2015 summer transfer window and was designed as a fresh start. However, he failed to establish himself, starting only three Serie A matches in the second half of the campaign and frequently finding himself marooned, unused, on the bench.
True to form, though, Kuba has powered through in the face of adversity and, after proving he remains his country’s true talisman, is now seeking to fire them to a first European Championship semi-final.
Santos: Ronaldo presence will not decide Poland clash
Jon Fisher in Marseille
Fernando Santos is backing Portugal - and not just Cristiano Ronaldo - to overcome Poland on Thursday.
Portugal boss Fernando Santos believes Thursday's Euro 2016 clash with Poland is a "50/50" game and downplayed the significance of Cristiano Ronaldo by insisting the best team will emerge victorious.
Santos was asked on more than one occasion about Ronaldo's importance to the quarter-final outcome, but preferred to focus on the collective rather than talk up the Real Madrid star's contribution.
He said: "Everyone's talking about him and there's a reason for that. Why does everyone talk about Cristiano? It's because he's an amazing player and people talk a lot about amazing players.
"There are hundreds of players here in France and we don't talk about them. But it is normal to talk about Cristiano, Robert Lewandowski, Manuel Neuer etc.
"All our players know how to deal with that and Cristiano knows how to deal with that as well.
"I have 23 players in very good form, and a couple who have injury concerns.
"They are all highly motivated, they know what they want and it's the team who will win this match. At this stage, talent is an added value but tournaments are won by a team. My team are trying to do that, they are very brave and they will try to put in to practice all their talent."
Santos has been impressed with Poland's progress in France.
"They are a very strong team, and in the qualifying round and the group stage here we were able to see this," he said.
"In the group stage only two teams had seven points and Poland were one of them. In the qualifiers they beat Germany and they drew with Germany here.
"Both teams have the same goal, they want to go through and play the semi-finals. I believe we will go through, my Polish counterpart thinks his team will go through. There is not a favourite, it's a 50/50 game."
Portugal reached the last eight thanks to a drab extra-time victory over Croatia - Ricardo Quaresma nodding in the only goal in the 117th minute.
Santos added: "I think like the Croatia game it's going to be very balanced. From what I've seen Poland don't resemble any of the sides we've played so far.
"They are well organised, play a strategic game but attack very well. They go from defence to attack very quickly and you can see there's a lot of work being done in the background. They also have very good individual players who can make a difference.
"Against Croatia, strategy was the main point. Both teams worked hard but both were strategically well set. Sometimes there is a knot you simply cannot untie.
"In some matches there are more defensive moments than offensive, not because that was the plan but it just happens. Whether that's the case on Thursday we will see, but I'm sure it's going to be a very balanced match."
Renato Sanches, who signed for Bayern Munich from Benfica last month in a deal that could rise to €80million, impressed after coming on as a 50th-minute substitute against Croatia, but Santos hinted he may not yet have the experience required to start at the Stade Velodrome.
"The Portugal team is probably one of the few that have five players that were at the European Under-21 Championship last year and one who was at the Under-19 Championship - Renato Sanches," he said. "These players are not inexperienced but they have fewer matches behind them but as time progresses they come into their own.
"Renato only started working with us in March, he's still growing and it's up to me to analyse and decide if and when he can be useful to the team. It's the same for him and the other 22 players."
Bale is slightly better than Hazard, admits Lukaku
Rob Lancaster
AFP
The Belgium defender Jordan Lukaku has no qualms in placing the Real Madrid star over his own colleague, opining that he needs to improve his consistency
Jordan Lukaku rates Wales' Gareth Bale "slightly higher" than Eden Hazard, even though the latter is his international team-mate with Belgium.
Speaking ahead of Friday's Euro 2016 quarter-final between the two nations in Lille, the Oostende defender unsurprisingly picked out Bale and Aaron Ramsey as the two danger men in the opposing ranks.
Lukaku even revealed he ranks the Real Madrid forward ahead of Hazard, who did not train with his team-mates on Wednesday due to a thigh injury picked up in the 4-0 win over Hungary, because of his greater consistency for club and country.
"Bale is for me perhaps slightly higher than Hazard. He's been playing longer at that level," he said.
"At key moments at club level Bale is the man and he stands there, while Hazard is still not consistent.
"The staff will devise a plan to neutralise Bale and Aaron Ramsey because they are the strongest players Wales have. So we will find a way to counter them but it will not be one player, it will be the whole team."
Belgium know all about Wales after they were paired in the same qualifying group - Marc Wilmots' squad failed to score in either meeting, but still managed to finish top of the table.
Winger Dries Mertens acknowledges the Welsh defence will be a tough nut to crack again, particularly as they can always catch you on the counter.
"It's a difficult team. They are very good defensively, they play with three defenders behind," he said.
"They give you the feeling you can score a goal but in the end they score a goal and have stopped you. If you don't play really well against them, you have a lot of problems. They also have a lot of quality up front."
Lukaku and Mertens could both feature from the start at Stade Pierre-Mauroy, with the former a potential replacement for the suspended Thomas Vermaelen.
Antonio Conte's team face another stern challenge after sending Euro holders Spain out of the competition, and Florenzi believes they must give everything to win
Alessandro Florenzi compared facing Germany at Euro 2016 to climbing Mount Everest, with Italy looking to conquer the world champions and reach the semi-finals in France.
Having knocked out double defending European champions Spain in Paris on Monday, Antonio Conte's squad now face another daunting task in the last eight of the tournament.
Germany have the added advantage of enjoying an extra day of rest ahead of the game, having recorded a 3-0 triumph over Slovakia on Sunday, but Florenzi insists Italy will be fully prepared for a battle in Bordeaux.
"Whoever thinks that they should recover for an extra day is a loser," he said.
"Losers make excuses. We must only focus on our strength and take that to the pitch.
"All of the 23 players in the squad can play an important role. We have reached a major peak and now there is Mount Everest.
"The facts speak for Germany, they are world champions. We will work hard to put in a performance."
Team-mate Lorenzo Insigne said the squad are "giving everything for the shirt" under the guidance of Conte, who will leave his role after the tournament to take over at Chelsea.
"We are a united group. The coach gives confidence to everyone called up for the cause," he said.
"We are giving everything for the shirt and we are happy that the people are close to us. We will look to make them dream more."
Lagerback: I don't think I will take a job like England
Jack Davies
Getty Images
The Swedish tactician ended Roy Hodgson's time at the Three Lions helm with a stunning 2-1 victory, and he admitted he would not fancy taking over the job
Iceland coach Lars Lagerback has distanced himself from the vacant managerial position with England.
Lagerback masterminded Iceland's 2-1 last-16 victory over England on Monday, which sent Roy Hodgson's men crashing out of Euro 2016 and led to the former Liverpool boss' resignation.
Ex-Norway coach Egil 'Drillo' Olsen subsequently tipped Lagerback, who previously guided Sweden to five consecutive major tournaments, as a potential successor to Hodgson.
However, the 67-year-old – set to depart Iceland following the Euros – was reluctant to throw his name into the hat, with Gareth Southgate favourite for the job.
"No, I don’t think so," he said. "Every time I look at myself in the mirror I realise that I should take it easier in the future.
"I hope that I can remain in football in some way, but I don't think I will take a job like that.
"It is very kind of Drillo, who I respect a lot, to say that. But I don't think I am in the picture. It is a real long shot.”
Iceland meet hosts France in their quarter-final on Sunday, but Lagerback is keen to keep his players' feet on the ground.
He added: "We had a team meeting yesterday where me and [joint coach] Heimir Hallgrimsson were playing devil's advocate and trying to get the players back down to earth because whatever is happening around us we have to deal with it."
Conte shows Spain value of a top coach - but no elite managers want Del Bosque's job
By Ben Hayward
Getty Images
The former Real Madrid boss will step down after La Roja's loss to Italy at Euro 2016 on Monday, but their are no big names in the frame to take over and lead a new project
The Vicente del Bosque era is over. The Spain coach has yet to officially announce his decision to leave, but it is no secret that the 65-year-old will walk away after his side were beaten by Italy in Paris on Monday. The problem now is finding a quality replacement.
Spain's Football Federation (RFEF) have known for some time that the former Real Madrid boss would be leaving, yet it still seems there are no plans in place to bring in a successor - and most of the big names are either not interested in the position or have just changed jobs.
Del Bosque was a passive presence on the bench at the Stade de France as La Roja lost to an Italian team with inferior players but a younger, more passionate, more dynamic, intense and shrewd tactician in Antonio Conte.
The former Juventus boss showed Spain the value of a top coach as he helped his side win the match with a tactical masterclass. And with rebuilding now needed after a second successive disappointment at a major tournament, La Roja require something more than a father figure like Del Bosque.
The options, however, are few and far between. Barcelona boss Luis Enrique has said he would like to coach Spain in future, but not now. And that is precisely the problem. For a top-class manager, the chance of coaching Spain - or any national team for that matter - is not attractive when they can take their pick from Europe's elite clubs.
Pep Guardiola is probably the best there is and he has said that he would like the experience of coaching a national team at some stage, but he is keen to focus on his club career for now and has just moved from Bayern Munich to Manchester City. Due to his Catalan roots, it is also unclear whether he would be willing to lead Spain anyway - even though he represented the nation as a player.
Unai Emery has just joined Paris Saint-Germain, Paco Jemez has moved from Rayo Vallecano to Granada, Rafa Benitez has signed an extension at Newcastle, while Ernesto Valverde is happy at Athletic Bilbao and Marcelino Garcia Toral is unlikely to leave Villarreal.
The RFEF want a Spanish coach, but federation chief Angel Maria Villar has been standing in as acting president for the suspended Michel Platini at Euro 2016 and has his mind on the top job at Uefa.
In the meantime, the favourites to succeed Del Bosque as Spain coach are Joaquin Caparros and Julen Lopetegui in a list that also includes Pepe Mel, Michel and Roberto Martinez, while even Jose Antonio Camacho has been mentioned as a possibility.
Caparros was successful at Sevilla, laying the foundations for Juande Ramos to enjoy success at the Sanchez Pizjuan, but was less popular at Athletic and has done little since then, losing more games than he has won in La Liga. He is also a very defensive coach who does not seem to fit Spain's style.
Lopetegui, meanwhile, was sacked by Porto after losing out to Benfica in the Portuguese championship. He is highly thought of, however, after successful spells with Spain's Under-21 and U-19 teams. He is, at 49, also a much younger man than Del Bosque.
The other options appear even less attractive. Mel has been sacked twice by Betis, Martinez was a failure ultimately at Everton with a terrible defensive record, while Michel proved a disaster in France with Marseille and Camacho has been out of the picture for a number of years and has already had the job once anyway.
Conte, in any case, is the exception. A young coach with great pedigree, he took the unusual step of coaching his country in his prime (he is now 46) and he will be replaced this summer by a veteran: 68-year-old Torino trainer Giampiero Ventura.
Ventura has never coached a top team and that is a problem the next Spain boss will likely have as well. So while La Roja still possess some of the world's finest footballers, finding a man who earns their respect and who is up to the standard they expect may be an impossible task for the RFEF this summer.
Because no elite coaches want the job - at least not at the moment.
