Germany's Westermann pragmatic about group hopes

Tuesday 2nd February 2010

Heiko Westermann, a regular in the German national side, tells FIFA that he is not taking qualification for granted, despite his country being drawn in a group that appears favourable on paper. Germany are odds-on favourites to win Group D outright in the run-up to the World Cup 2010 final, with prices of 10/11 at a number of online bookmakers. But with matches against Australia, Ghana and Serbia in the group stage, Westermann is refusing to underestimate his opposition. "There's no such thing as an easy group at this level," he tells FIFA. "All the teams which have qualified for the World Cup can play football and anyone can beat anybody." However, he adds that Germany are aiming for victory in the final - and not to bow out in the quarter-finals. For Westermann in particular, the run-up to the 2010 World Cup consists of getting in some games at club level, before competing in one of the highlights of his career.