Portugal v Germany Under-19 final preview

UEFA.com previews the 2014 UEFA European Under-19 Championship final between Germany and Portugal. The 2008 champions, Germany also lost the decider to Spain in 2002 while, following their 2003 final defeat by Italy, Portugal are bidding to become the seventh country to win the competition.

Portugal
A nine-game winning run was ended by Serbia in the semi-finals but Portugal still prevailed on penalties, reversing the result of last year. In the finals for the fourth time in five years, Portugal reached the 2013 semi-finals for the first time in a decade and, as the competition's top scorers this season with 32 goals, will be banking on top scorer André Silva to cause Germany problems.

Route to final
Qualifying round: Luxembourg 3-0, San Marino 6-0, Norway 3-2 (Group 8 winners)
Elite round: Greece 3-0, Wales 3-2, Belgium 3-2 (Group 7 winners)
GS: 3-0 v Israel
GS: 6-1 v Hungary
GS: 2-1 v Austria (Group A winners)
SF: 0-0 v Serbia (4-3 penalties)

Hélio Sousa, coach
The mood is amazing, couldn't be better. We've fought to be here and we're going to try our utmost to win one more game. The semi-final finished very late and that's a problem for us, but what the next game can give to us is more significant than what we feel physically. Our mentality has to be very strong to overcome that physical defeat, and it is.

This Germany generation is one of the best of the last few years: they have so many players to choose from, maybe they could have put together two or three teams who are equally strong. Some of their players have been playing in the Bundesliga, games that give them more maturity than our players. We have to rise above all that and go for the win. It will be a great game and a great promotion for youth football – and we'll try as hard as we can to get the cup.

Germany
Had not qualified since lifting the trophy in 2008 but have been largely dominant in Hungary having qualified at the expense of six-time winners Spain. A group including eight members of the squad beaten by the Netherlands in the 2012 U17 final will be keen to get their hands on some silverware.

Route to final
Qualifying round: Belarus 2-1, Latvia 5-0, Scotland 1-1 (Group 5 winners)
Elite round: Lithuania 2-0, Denmark 4-0, Spain 3-1 (Group 5 winners)
GS: 3-0 v Bulgaria
GS: 2-2 v Serbia
GS: 2-0 v Ukraine (Group B winners)
SF: 4-0 v Austria

Marcus Sorg, coach
The mood is good. We are very focused, the team knows what is at stake. we are awaiting our next task with confidence. Our opponents have shown themselves in a very good light up until now. Portugal are technically at a very high level. Both offensively and defensively they are very well organised with a clear game system. They're worthy opponents for the final.

I'm no soothsayer. On the pitch we have to show all our strengths at 100%: play in an organised manner, go aggressively into tackles and capitalise on our immense quality in attack. We are Germany and because of that we generally enter every match as favourites.

Previous meetings in this competition
2004 Elite round: Portugal 0-1 Germany

Follow the final live on UEFA.com or on Twitter using #U19EURO