germany are the best team of the tournament so far, that's true. i think they have the second best talent, after spain--but unlike spain, they have lots of players who can put the ball in the back of the net. and they're the fastest team too, i think. not just ozil, but the whole team has the pace of a 1990s brazil team. they should easily beat the winner of italy-england, and would beat portugal again if they made it to the final. this is a team that has absolutely no problem demolishing the defensive tactics that england, italy and portugal have all favored this year.

the kryptonite for germany, though, is the spanish possession game, which robs them of their pace. spain don't look as sharp as they did at the world cup, or at euro 2008, but this is still the worst matchup for germany.

that said, i think the germans take it, no matter who they meet at the final. just would be harder if it were spain than if it were someone else.