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Line-up leaking Germany mole has Loew fuming
Posted Sunday, June 24, 2012 by YAHOO Sport

Germany coach Joachim Loew is said to be fuming after a "mole" in the German camp again leaked their starting line-up at Euro 2012.

Loew sprung a surprise for Friday's quarter-final by dropping Mario Gomez, Lukas Podolski and Thomas Mueller for the Germans' 4-2 quarter-final win over Greece at Arena Gdasnk, but the news was reported earlier that afternoon.

"I can't say exactly from where this (leak) has come," admitted Loew ahead of his team's semi-final against England or Italy in Warsaw on Thursday.

"The players talk to their agents, perhaps it comes from there.

"They phone home and talk with friends, either because they are happy or disappointed.

"I am certain it doesn't come from the players. These are other channels, but they are unidentifiable.

"It is not good when the cards are on the table so early."

Team line-ups are normally only released just prior to kick-off, but Loew's formation was reported much earlier by several German media outlets with the news Miroslav Klose, Andre Schuerrle andMarco Reus would all start.

After the latest leak, midfielder Schuerrle revealed the national coach is fuming.

"It is certainly regrettable," said the 21-year-old Bayer Leverkusen midfielder.

"The head coach has spoken to us about this leak and he is, of course, far from happy.

"I am sure it is someone outside the team, I can't imagine it would be anyone inside."

This is not the first time this has happened at Euro 2012.

It was common knowledge ahead of the opening Group B match against Portugal that Loew intended to play Gomez, rather than Klose, up front and he dropped Arsenal defender Per Mertesacker for Borussia Dortmund's Mats Hummels.

News also leaked prior to the final group game against Denmark that Leverkusen midfielder Lars Bender would be used at right-back for the suspended Jerome Boateng.

Dortmund-bound forward Marco Reus said any espionage is not affecting the German team.

"I do not know who the mole is, but fortunately it doesn't affect what we are doing," he said.

Standings
    Rank Team W/D/L Pts

    Cities & Stadiums

    The Top 3 Teams of Previous Tournaments

    Year Winners Runner-up Third place
    2008SpainGermanyRussia / Turkey
    2004GreecePortugalNetherlands / Czech Republic
    2000FranceItalyNetherlands / Portugal
    1996GermanyCzech RepublicFrance / England
    1992DenmarkGermanyNetherlands / Sweden
    1988NetherlandsSoviet UnionItaly / West Germany
    1984FranceSpainDenmark / Portugal
    1980West GermanyBelgiumCzechoslovakia
    1976CzechoslovakiaWest GermanyNetherlands
    1972West GermanySoviet UnionBelgium
    1968ItalyYugoslaviaEngland
    1964SpainSoviet UnionHungary
    1960Soviet UnionYugoslaviaCzechoslovakia