Huge Kolkata crowd won’t put pressure on us: Germany U-17 coach

Kolkata, Oct 19 (IANS) Germany Under-17 football team coach Christian Wueck on Thursday said playing in front of an expected full house at the Vivekananda Yuva Bharati Krirangan will not pressurise them, rather it will be a "pleasure" to play in that atmosphere.

"I think for us it's a pleasure to play before 30,000-40,000 people. It is no pressure for us," Wueck told reporters after the squad trained for more than one hour here.

Germany take on Brazil in a quarter-final game on Sunday. Kolkata has so far drawn the biggest crowds in the FIFA U-17 World Cup with average attendance being above 40,000. In the Round of 16 tie between England and Japan, 53,302 spectators turned up.

A Brazil-Germany clash is expected to see that number swell, especially in a city which has previously played hosts to the likes of Pele and Oliver Kahn.

Asked about their opponents who beat Honduras to reach the last-eight stage, the coach said: "Brazil is a very good team. Each team has same chances to win quarter-final. It's very important for us to come good in the game. To know what we have to do. We have two-three days to get ready."

Germany were drubbed by lesser-fancied Iran in a Group C encounter and since that loss the 1985 runners-up beat Guinea 3-1 and in the Round of 16 tie swept aside Colombia 4-0.

"After the Iran game, it was necessary to get better on the pitch. Each player is getting better by the day in India. It was very good for us to have (a feel of) the pitch as in our mind (we know) what we can expect in three days," Wueck said.

Meanwhile, ahead of their crunch quarter-final, Germany could be dogged by a few niggles.

While attacking midfielder Dennis Jastrzembski is serving a suspension -- he was shown his second yellow card during the team thrashing Colombia 4-0 in New Delhi, midfielder Yannik Keitel is still recovering from an injury that he sustained in their match against Colombia.

Keitel was conspicuous by his absence during the team's official training at the Salt Lake Stadium here this evening.

Midfielders Sahverdi Cetin and Nicholas Kuehn are also carrying some niggles.