Tenero, Switzerland - Two-goal hero Lukas Podolski is set to keep his place on the left wing as Germany coach Joachim Loew sees no reason for major changes to his winning team for the second Euro 2008 game with Croatia. "It is quite clear that there won't be many changes," Loew told a news conference on Tuesday, 48 hours ahead of the match.
Captain Michael Ballack said: "If you perform well in the first game and the team performance is good then the coach has little reason to make changes."
However, Ballack quickly added that "the coach will decide on the lineup" and that "the same players don't have to start in every match."
Loew has not released his lineup but gave enough indications that Germany will play like in the 2-0 win against Poland on Sunday.
"We always try to play our game, to enforce our game plan and to make the most of our tactics," said Loew.
The popular Podolski scored both goals against his birth-country and Loew will probably not deny him a 50th cap against Croatia - thus benching Podolski's Munich team-mate Bastian Schweinsteiger again.
In this scenario Mario Gomez and Miroslav Klose would be the starting forwards like on Sunday.
But there could be a change in defence behind Podolski on the left as Marcell jansen was not always convincing. Philipp Lahm could move back from the right side to the left in place of Jansen, with Arne Friedrich coming in as right back.
It did not go unnoticed that Loew heaped praise on the Hertha Berlin Friedrich on Tuesday, saying: "He is in fantastic shape. I have rarely seen him that strong."
Loew said that the coaching staff will discuss the opponent and then inform the team about Croatia.
Germany defeated Croatia 2-1 in the quarter-finals en route to the Euro 1996 title but then crashed 3-0 against them two years later in the World Cup quarters.
"We know they have a great team with great individuals," said Loew of the opponent which has several players such as forward Ivan Klasnic earning their money in the German Bundesliga.
Ballack named the game a second step on the desired path to the title on June 29, which would require a steady improvement of the German team which he sees at 80-85 per cent of its full strength.
"We will face more opposition from Croatia than in our first game. We want to make the final, we must improve on the way," said Ballack.
