Friday 14 November 2014 06:35, UK
Gibraltar – the newest and smallest UEFA nation - are gearing up for their biggest-ever game as they get ready to take on world champions Germany, reports Sky Sports News HQ's David Garrido.
You just don’t get more David and Goliath than this. It is the mismatch to end all mismatches - but it is still compelling.
The Gibraltar FA have been waiting for this moment for quite some time, but players, technical staff, board members and fans alike may well have travelled here to Nuremberg in trepidation rather than celebration.
The part-timers are suddenly are coming up against multi-millionaire professionals like Mario Gotze, Thomas Muller, Toni Kroos and Manuel Neuer.
Germany won the FIFA World Cup in the summer - Gibraltar don’t even have a FIFA world ranking. And while Muller and co put seven past Brazil in the semis, Gibraltar let in that same number against both Poland and the Republic of Ireland in their first two qualifiers.
And you shouldn't be fooled by Joachim Low’s recent results either. Yes, his side’s stock may have fallen slightly since dropping points against the Polish and the Irish, but they will be desperate to remedy that quickly, and in style. Will there be a backlash in Bavaria? You can put your mortgage on it.
Up until now, the Gibraltarian default mode has been defensive, but always ready and willing to counter-attack when the opportunity arises, pass and move, threaten wherever they can. No buses have been passing anywhere near the pitch, let alone parked in front of the goal. But manager Allen Bula may decide that this is the time to summon as much public transport as possible.
It’s all about the journey – and the road so far has been bumpy.
The statistics in this case do not lie, and no goals and 17 conceded would be enough for any team to want to pack it in. But Gibraltar don’t have that choice - besides, they’ve had enough of a tough time getting here in the first place. Get through Friday night, and it might just get easier after that, but make no mistake, it will almost certainly be a painful process.
Gibraltar’s story started off with such promise, and there is clearly still some of that left under the surface, in the long-term, for the next generation. But this European qualifying fairytale could turn sour, and here, in the heart of German folklore, Gibraltar will be facing a Grimm reality, unless David and Goliath revert to type.
You can watch Germany v Gibraltar live via the red button on Sky Sports 5 on Friday at 7.30pm
