Confederations Cup 2017: Germany feeling like winners before final against Chile

Why? They have been busy across the border, in Russian Federation.

Granted, the Confederations Cup isn’t the most highest quality tournament around, but against much more experienced opponents in Chile and Mexico, Germany’s youngsters have looked completely unfazed.

Having come together impressively under Marcelo Bielsa at the 2010 World Cup and scaled the heights with his successor Jorge Sampaoli at the helm, this Chile side have a long-established and close-knit understanding nearly unheard of at global level.

Hard-working Chile will again seek to challenge Germany for possession using a high-octane pressing game orchestrated by Alexis Sanchez but a better conversion rate of any chances that come their way is crucial to their hopes of success.

Having won man-of-the-match awards in each of their three Confed Cup group stage games, Ronaldo did not have his best match against Chile, whose defence managed to subdue the Real star.

Sanchez scored after just six minutes in the group-stage clash and Germany captain Julian Draxler says his team need to be more focused.

Low’s perspective in terms of centre-forwards has improved too, with 21-year-old Timo Werner’s displays in Russian Federation.

Germany and Chile will face off for the second time in this year’s Confederations Cup on Sunday, July 2.

That bodes very well for the long-term. “We will not just go to visit the World Cup, we will go to win, if we qualify”.

On paper, a competition pitting the champions of each confederation against the world champion and the host of the next World Cup ought to have both appeal and raison d’etre.

The line-ups in Saint Petersburg present a stark contrast.

“For us it means a lot to be here and to play such a match”, said Mexico coach Juan Carlos Osorio, whose team quickly move on to the CONCACAF Gold Cup, which gets underway in the United States next weekend.

The Chileans have traveled to Russian Federation with a team that is close to full strength and includes the likes of Arsenal’s Alexis Sanchez and Bayern Munich’s Arturo Vidal. La Roja booked their place in the final by defeating Portugal on penalties in the other semifinal in Kazan Arena on Wednesday night.

That will have suited their veterans, giving them a 24-hour head-start on Low’s ambitious young lions.