The German women’s national team will face Italy in an international friendly match at the osnatel-Arena, Osnabrueck tomorrow. The German team led by captain Birgit Prinz will be using the friendly match as a build-up for the upcoming FIFA Women’s World Cup 2011, which will kick-off in their own backyard in late June.

German coach Silvia Neid announced her final 21-member squad last Friday and she will be using the match against the southern Europeans to evaluate her options for the starting line-up at the World Cup. The German team is currently having a preparation camp at the Klosterpforte – the place were Portugal had their base camp during the 2006 FIFA World Cup.

Silvia Neid feels that Italy’s style of play is quite similar to the one of Germany’s World Cup opponent Nigeria and that the match tomorrow will give her an idea how to tackle the Africans in the finals.

“The Italians are always at odds with themselves, the referee and the opponent. Their tackling is uncomfortable and comparable to Nigeria,” Neid told at a press conference today.

“I will be trying out several things in the match tomorrow and I will give as many players as possible the chance to show their capabilities,” the coach continued.

Neid was accompanied by goalkeeper Nadine Angerer. Angerer, who has an Italian father, is quite excited to face Italy in the buil-up to the finals and she is looking forward to a spiritd performance by her team.

GERMAN SQUAD

Goalkeepers
1-Nadine Angerer, 12-Ursula Holl, 21-Almuth Schult

Defenders
2-Bianca Schmidt, 3-Saskia Bartusiak, 4-Babett Peter, 5-Annike Krahn, 10-Linda Bresonik, 15-Verena Faißt, 20-Lena Goeßling

Midfielders
6-Simone Laudehr, 7-Melanie Behringer, 13-Celia Okoyino da Mbabi, 14-Kim Kulig, 17-Ariane Hingst, 18-Kerstin Garefrekes, 19-Fatmire Bajramaj

Forwards
8-Inka Grings, 9-Birgit Prinz [C], 11-Alexandra Popp, 16-Martina Müller

Pictures from…
… the German training session [click here]
… from the press conference [click here]