The German government played down fears next month’s World Cup could be scarred by racist attacks on visiting fans as the host nation’s football team was savaged in the press.

With just nine days until the tournament kicks off on June 9, most of the 32 participating finalists are already camped in Europe ahead of their arrival in Germany, with daily warm-up matches taking place across the continent.

Jurgen Klinsmann’s German team woke to a media mauling after their defensive frailties were exposed by Japan in a 2-2 draw in Leverkusen on Tuesday, while elsewhere there were comfortable wins for England, Brazil and Italy.

Italy were set to take on fellow World Cup qualifiers Switzerland in Geneva later Wednesday in a match which should show how much the match-fixing scandal swirling around the top Italian clubs is affecting morale.

Off the field, Interior Minister Wolfgang Schaeuble said he was confident that Germany would show the world and an expected one million foreign visitors that it was a peaceful country where foreign visitors need have no fear of racist attack.

“Germany is open to the world and a country that is peace-loving and tolerant, and we will prove that in the World Cup,” Schaeuble told a press conference on security arrangements for the tournament.

A recent claim from a former government spokesman that dark-skinned visitors to eastern Germany ran the risk of racist attack received widespread international media coverage, tarnishing the country’s efforts to present itself in a positive light for the tournament.

Schaeuble said: “There is no such thing as 100 percent security, but everything humanely possible has been done.

“Germany must show it is a country that is friendly to foreigners,” he said.

Schaeuble also defended the contentious decision to print the ticketholder’s name on every match ticket, saying it had reduced the scope for tickets to be sold on the black market.

The head of world governing body FIFA, Sepp Blatter, has expressed concerns that the system will lead to delays in processing fans as they enter the stadiums.

Meanwhile, a heavily critical German press said coach Jurgen Klinsmann had to return to the drawing board to get his defence in shape for the tournament.

“Klinsi, this shoddy defence only makes the World Cup opponents happy,” said Bild newspaper after Germany had to come from two goals down to force a draw.

Many commentators noted that the central defensive pairing of Per Mertesacker and Christoph Metzelder had been run ragged by the scorer of both Japan’s goals, Naohiro Takahara.

In contrast to the doubts in Germany, England coach Sven-Goran Eriksson was happy after midfielder Steven Gerrard was pushed in an attacking role normally occupied by Wayne Rooney and scored with a header in the win over Hungary.

“Steven Gerrard played excellent, wherever I put him he plays excellent. For me he is the complete footballer,” Eriksson enthused.

Michael Owen still looked short of match practice, but other goals from John Terry and Peter Crouch showed there is life after Rooney, the team’s star who looks increasingly likely to be ruled out with a broken foot.

Italy were preparing to welcome back the influential Francesco Totti for the Swiss match as he continues his fight for fitness after suffering a broken bone in his leg in February.

The Italian team is preparing against the backdrop of an judicial probe into clubs making illegal approaches to referees.

Argentina on Wednesday were to become the first of the big guns to arrive in Germany, while Poland also flew in to take up their headquarters, in Barsinghausen in the north.

Germany kick off the 64-match tournament against Costa Rica in Munich on June 9.

Source:Soccer News