Schweinsteiger bids to upstage Ronaldo

Source: Agencies  |   2008-6-19  |     NEWSPAPER EDITION

WHEN Portugal last played Germany, Cristiano Ronaldo was upstaged by another tricky winger with an eye for goal, while Bastian Schweinsteiger is eager to make the same impact in today's Euro 2008 quarterfinal.

Schweinsteiger left it too late to produce his best form at the 2006 World Cup but when he did it was spectacular, as he scored twice in Germany's 3-1 win over the Portuguese in the third-place match in Stuttgart.

"I had a fantastic match at the World Cup and that does play a role, mentally speaking," he said. "This is going to be a much harder game. Portugal has improved since then and I think it's the strongest team here.

"I should meet Ronaldo on the same bit of the pitch but Portugal are not just about him. They also have Deco, Simao, (Joao) Moutinho. They've got a lot of great players with international experience and it will be some game."

Schweinsteiger is only 23 but he is one of the more experienced members of the Germany squad, with 13 goals in his 53 appearances.

Still, the versatile winger has plenty to prove again in Basel today. He lost his place in the starting line-up before the tournament and lost his cool after coming on as a substitute against Croatia, getting himself sent-off for a shove on Jerko Leko.

"I recognise that I made a mistake in the last minute against Croatia," said Schweinsteiger, who has been promised a return to the team after being suspended for the Austria game. "Now my goal is to inject pace and creativity and contribute to a German win."