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Soccer News of Friday, 4 July 2014

Source: bbc.com

France's Deschamps wary of Germany

France coach Didier Deschamps says Germany's big-match experience may be a factor in Friday's World Cup quarter-final in Rio de Janeiro.
Germany have reached the semi-finals of the last three World Cups, and Deschamps accepts that Joachim Low's side may have the edge because of their history in the tournament.
"Germany is very accustomed to this competition," said Deschamps.
"Experience is more on their side, but we will play our game."
Deschamps and goalkeeper Hugo Lloris both feel Friday's quarter-final at the Maracana Stadium is an opportunity to avenge previous defeats to Germany in the competition.
On Wednesday, France's daily sports newspaper L'Equipe printed pictures of the infamous 1982 semi-final, when West Germany won on penalties but only after France defender Patrick Battiston suffered a broken neck after a challenge by goalkeeper Harald Schumacher.
West Germany also beat France in the 1986 semi-final in Mexico, but Deschamps says that his players will not be weighed down by history and are excited by the opportunity to record a first World Cup win over their neighbours since 1958.
"There is no pressure on the players, history is what has been and gone and tomorrow we will maybe write a new page in history," said Deschamps.
"There is a long history between both nations but as far as we are concerned we live for the present moment, we want to write our own history," added Lloris.
France have been impressive in the competition so far, with group stage victories over Switzerland and Honduras and a comfortable last-16 win over Nigeria, while Germany needed extra time to beat Algeria in the last round.