Borussia Dortmund legend says pressure is all on Germany ahead of Euros opener

As former players go, Paul Lambert is as well placed as any to give a flavour of what the current crops will be feeling in both camps heading into the opening game of the European Championships.

The Celtic and Borussia Dortmund legend has played in a similar occasion for his country after all, as part of the Scotland midfield that ran world champions Brazil so close in the opening match of the World Cup in France in 1998.

He also knows full well the weight of expectation that the German footballing public will be placing on ‘Die Mannschaft’ as they go into their home tournament, and he is hoping that the pressure on them will work in the favour of his own national team as they look to pull off an almighty shock in Munich next Friday.

“It’s a brilliant game because Scotland have nothing to lose and nothing to fear,” Lambert said.

“The pressure is all on Germany. It’s pretty similar to the game we played in France ’98 against Brazil. No one gives you a chance. It’s the exact same here. The only person giving you a chance is yourself.

“You go there when it’s the opening game, anything can happen. It’s the first game for Germany. The expectation level on them will be huge. They are the host country and everyone will be expecting them to do well.

“You look back at that game [against Brazil] and we were really unfortunate with the own goal. We still gave them a run for their money. That’s what happens.

“Brazil weren’t in their stride. It was the opening game – everybody looked at it and thought it would be easy for Brazil. But it didn’t turn out that way. Hopefully when the lads go to Munich, it will be a similar story.

“I know what the weight of expectation their fans will put on them just because it’s such a vast country and the players they’ve got.”

That is where things look a little less favourable for the Scots, with the star-studded German team that has seemed to stutter over the last few years finally appearing to be coming good at the most inopportune moment for Steve Clarke and his men.

They played out a goalless draw with Ukraine in their first warm-up friendly on Tuesday night, but in their two fixtures before that, they defeated The Netherlands at home and France on their own soil, two teams who have dished out thumpings to Scotland recently.

“It looks like Germany are back at it now,” Lambert said.

“If you look at the two results they’ve had against France and Holland they’ve been really good. It seems like (Julian) Nagelsmann got them in a place where he likes at the minute.

“They’ve got good young players there, without a doubt. It’s carrying their weight of their country that they’ve got to handle.

“The team will be good, I think. I think it will be strong. It’s carrying the expectation level of Germany having to do well in it [that might be the issue].”

Overall, Lambert thinks though that the Scots are well placed to go to Germany and achieve what no other squad of Scottish players have ever done – not even the gifted groups he was involved in – and qualify for the knockout stages of a major tournament.

“I hope so,” he said.

“I really hope the guys can go and do it. It would be great for them and for their country to go to another stage.

“It will be tough because the group is hard. Switzerland and Hungary are not going to just give you it. And Germany are certainly not going to give you it.

“But I think they’ve got a really good spirit about them that can push them on. You need a bit of luck in all competitions. Hopefully they can get through.”