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World Cup chit-chat: Germany's Reus, Goetze itching for action in Brazil
Germany's versatile attacking midfielders Marco Reus and Mario Goetze are hoping their time to shine in the national team will come at the World Cup in Brazil next month after both players endured a disappointing maiden tournament at Euro 2012.
The 24-year-old Reus and Goetze, 21, are considered the best players of their generation in Germany but they have yet to leave their mark in a major tournament for their country.
"We both want to play, that's for sure," Goetze, sitting next to Reus, told a news conference at their northern Italian training camp. "At Euro 2012 I did not have any rhythm. I had been injured prior to that so it was a different situation."
The Bayern Munich midfielder hade made only a 10-minute substitute appearance at their Euro 2012 quarter-final win over Greece but he seems to have carved out a starting spot since then.
"How often do you get to play in a World Cup? It is something special and we have set ourselves big aims," said Goetze, who won the domestic league and Cup double with Bayern this season.
Just like Goetze, Reus had also limited playing time two years ago, featuring only in two games.
"I hope to be playing at this tournament because it is as big as it gets," said Reus, who almost single-handedly led Dortmund to a second-place finish in the league with a superb second half to the campaign where he either scored or set up the vast majority of his team's goals.
It is difficult to imagine a starting Germany without both players though competition in the crowded midfield is fierce with Mesut Ozil, Toni Kroos, Thomas Mueller, Julian Draxler, Lukas Podolski and Andre Schuerrle also in contention.
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Ivory Coast balance fitness with rest
Ivory Coast coach Sabri Lamouchi said he was treading a fine line in his World Cup preparations as he caters for players fatigued by their club seasons and those short of playing time.
"We have many players at different levels of physical fitness," said Lamouchi in Dallas where the Ivorians are holding their pre-World Cup training camp.
"We have players like Kolo Toure (of Liverpool) and (Turkish-based defender) Souleyman Bamba who have played little.
"There are others too who have not had much game time at their clubs, either because of injury or because of a lack of confidence in them from their coaches.
"We have to give them opportunity. On the other hand, we have to allow those who have had a long season time to recover.
"Players like (Salomon) Kalou, Gervinho and (Wilfried) Bony have had long seasons," he added.
At the World Cup, the Ivorians have been drawn in Group C and compete against Colombia, Greece and Japan.
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Colombia to make late call on Falcao, says Pekerman
Colombia will wait until the last minute to decide whether to pick recuperating striker Radamel Falcao in their final World Cup squad, coach Jose Pekerman said on Saturday.
"I'll wait until the last day, until the last hour, the last minute, to give out my list of 23," Pekerman said when he arrived in Buenos Aires with his squad.
"We've had lots of problems, from Falcao's injury, (Camilo) Zuniga's, and some players who haven't had minutes with their (club) teams. We have to evaluate all that," he told reporters.
Falcao is recovering from knee surgery while fullback Zuniga has recently regained fitness after a knee operation in October.
Pekerman must name his final 23-man squad by June 2 for the tournament in Brazil starting 10 days later in which Colombia face Greece, Ivory Coast and Japan in Group C.
Revised Squad:
Goalkeepers: David Ospina (Nice), Faryd Mondragon (Deportivo Cali), Camilo Vargas (Independiente Santa Fe)
Defenders: Mario Yepes (AC Milan), Cristian Zapata (AC Milan), Pablo Armero (West Ham United), Camilo Zuniga (Napoli), Santiago Arias (PSV Eindhoven), Luis Amaranto Perea (Cruz Azul), Eder Alvarez Balanta (River Plate), Carlos Valdes (San Lorenzo)
Midfielders: Fredy Guarin (Inter Milan), Juan Cuadrado (Fiorentina), Victor Ibarbo (Cagliari), James Rodriguez (Monaco), Abel Aguilar (Toulouse), Juan Fernando Quintero (Porto), Carlos Sanchez (Elche), Aldo Leao Ramirez (Morelia), Edwin Valencia (Fluminense), Alexander Mejia (Atletico Nacional)
Forwards: Radamel Falcao (Monaco), Luis Fernando Muriel (Udinese), Jackson Martinez (Porto), Carlos Bacca (Sevilla), Adrian Ramos (Hertha Berlin), Teofilo Gutierrez (River Plate)