Group D Germany v HollandIn a championship that boasts a number of tasty derby games, none holds quite as much potential for the rivalry to turn ugly as this evening's encounter between a German side many pundits, along with the bookies, are finally allowing themselves to write off and a Dutch team that is making its traditional attempt to defeat itself even before anyone else gets the chance.
The Dutch are not in full turmoil mode yet, but the atmosphere in the camp could hardly be described as ideal ahead of a tournament which many believe they have the players, but not the team, to win. Since finishing second to the Czechs in their qualifying group as a result of losing in Prague - where, in fact, they played exceptionally well despite losing Edgar Davids to a red card early on - the team's preparations have been a mixed bag.
Wins over Greece and the US as well as a goalless draw with the French suggested that things were progressing well enough under manager Dick Advocaat, who had sought to change the team's traditional style of play and introduce young talent at the expense of a couple of the squad's established stars.
During the past couple of weeks, however, defeats by the Belgians and Irish have brought all the usual pre-tournament tensions to the fore. As he left the Amsterdam Arena after the loss to the Republic 10 days ago, for instance, Jaap Stam acknowledged rather caustically that the coach had tried just about every tactical approach imaginable in that game and needed to settle on something quickly.
Since then Advocaat, under pressure from his critics within the squad and back at home, has had to consult with several of his leading players on how to put things right. As a result, he is expected to ditch the 4-4-2 formation he favours for the 4-3-3 more commonly associated with the country's better teams of the past.
It is, of course, more activity than would be ideal in the days leading up a team's opening game in a major championship, but the Dutch will console themselves with the belief that, if things click for them on the day, they remain capable of beating almost anybody.
The Germans, in contrast, could hardly claim that, but they have come here intent on being, as they were two years ago at the World Cup, hard to beat, after which they will probably feel that games against their most bitter footballing rivals are the sort of events in which anything can happen.
And down the years just about everything has happened. Since the Germans beat perhaps the best Dutch team of them all back in 1974, the two sides have produced a succession of encounters that have been compelling and poisonous in equal measure.
In 1980, the Germans won an ill-tempered battle 3-2 thanks to a hat-trick by Klaus Aloffs, and eight years later the Dutch came out on top of another tense affair 2-1 on the way to winning the trophy in dramatic style.
After Ireland had drawn with the Dutch at Italia '90, the sides met again in the second round and though the Germans won this time (2-1 again), the enduring image of that night is the footage of Frank Rijkaard spitting on Rudi Voller after the striker had played up a foul.
Voller is now in charge of a German side whose general decline seems unending. He, too, has been criticised by the media after a disappointing build-up to this tournament. But for his achievements as a player as well as his common touch he is popular with supporters and commands respect among his players.
The contrast with the situation in Euro 2000 is particularly stark. Then, senior members of the squad treated Erich Ribbeck with open derision.
The consequences - the Germans were humiliated, finishing bottom of their group with just one point from three games - were predictable. Which, though the Dutch should start as favourites, is more than can be said for the outcome tonight.
Probable line-ups
GERMANY: Kahn; Friedrich, Woerns, Nowotny, Lahm; Schneider, Baumann, Hamann, Ballack, Frings; Kuranyi.
HOLLAND: Van der Sar; Reiziger, Bouma, Stam, Van Bronckhorst; Davids, Cocu, Sneijder; Van der Meyde; Van der Vaart, Van Nistelrooy.
