{"id":14435,"date":"2011-12-15T13:45:00","date_gmt":"2011-12-15T13:45:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.ghanamma.net\/2011\/12\/per-mertesacker-eagerly-anticipating-euro-2012-showdown-with-arsenal-team-mate-robin-van-persie\/"},"modified":"2011-12-15T13:45:00","modified_gmt":"2011-12-15T13:45:00","slug":"per-mertesacker-eagerly-anticipating-euro-2012-showdown-with-arsenal-team-mate-robin-van-persie","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.ghanamma.com\/2011\/12\/15\/per-mertesacker-eagerly-anticipating-euro-2012-showdown-with-arsenal-team-mate-robin-van-persie\/","title":{"rendered":"Per Mertesacker eagerly anticipating Euro 2012 showdown with Arsenal team-mate Robin van Persie"},"content":{"rendered":"

Arsenal<\/a> defender Per Mertesacker<\/a> is eagerly anticipating his Euro 2012<\/a> showdown with team-mate Robin van Persie<\/a> when Germany<\/a> and the Netherlands<\/a> clash in Group B next summer.<\/p>\n

The European rivals go head-to-head on June 13 in Kharkiv and the centre-back admits that playing against the Dutch striker will be a tough prospect.<\/p>\n

\u201cHe said he would be happy to see me next summer – that was the first thing he said after the draw,\u201d Mertesacker told the club’s official website.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis is not a friendly though, it’s a tough game and therefore both of us want to go through the group stage.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt will be very tough to stop Robin. I think his best position is in the front, in the middle [as a striker]. There he can use his unbelievable skills. He is so reliable in scoring goals it is incredible.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt’s a good group; obviously it’s one of the best at the Euros. I’m looking forward to playing those big teams and players like Robin.\u201d<\/p>\n

Germany were runners-up to Spain at Euro 2008, but the former Werder Bremen man believes that Joachim Low\u2019s side can go one better next year.<\/p>\n

\u201cI think the last year with the 100 per cent qualification means we have had consistency in our game,\u201d Mertesacker added.<\/p>\n

\u201cThat’s the whole point of the new Germany and the way we play, especially in the last 10 qualification matches.<\/p>\n

\u201cSome players in my age group have more than 80 games and that is good experience. But we also have players who are 19, 20, 21 – that’s an age to be in good shape and that’s what we need next summer.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe have had many chances in the last three big tournaments. We went to two semi-finals and one final and that’s good for us but if you get that far it’s better to get the title. I think that’s the main point for the next tournament.\u201d<\/p>\n

<\/span><\/p>\n

How do you stay up with football when on the move? With http:\/\/m.goal.com<\/a> \u2013 your best source for mobile coverage of the beautiful game.<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Arsenal defender Per Mertesacker is eagerly anticipating his Euro 2012 showdown with team-mate Robin van Persie when Germany and the Netherlands clash in Group B next summer. The European rivals go head-to-head on June 13 in Kharkiv and the centre-back admits that playing against the Dutch striker will be a tough prospect. \u201cHe said he would be happy to see me next summer – that was the first thing he said after the draw,\u201d Mertesacker told the club’s official website<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":0,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-14435","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard"],"yoast_head":"\nPer Mertesacker eagerly anticipating Euro 2012 showdown with Arsenal team-mate Robin van Persie - Ghanamma.com<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.ghanamma.com\/2011\/12\/15\/per-mertesacker-eagerly-anticipating-euro-2012-showdown-with-arsenal-team-mate-robin-van-persie\/\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:title\" content=\"Per Mertesacker eagerly anticipating Euro 2012 showdown with Arsenal team-mate Robin van Persie - Ghanamma.com\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:description\" content=\"Arsenal defender Per Mertesacker is eagerly anticipating his Euro 2012 showdown with team-mate Robin van Persie when Germany and the Netherlands clash in Group B next summer. 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