濟科：勒夫能帶領德國隊捧杯
So here we are: Germany and Argentina, two traditional football nations, will decide the 2014 World Cup and no one can say they don’t deserve to be within one game of the trophy.
好了，一切塵埃落定，兩個傳統足球強國德國和阿根廷將會師決賽。對此沒有人質疑這兩支球隊在決賽中問鼎冠軍的實力。
While demonstrating different profiles and styles, both negotiated passage through one of the most competitive tournaments in history and we are in for a very special game at the Maracan?. I have the feeling it will be more like chess than the festival of sprints we have seen throughout this World Cup but it should still be memorable.
雖然兩隊展現出迥異的風格和特點，但他們從世界杯歷史上競爭最激烈的一屆中脫穎而出，而我們將在馬拉卡納見證這一場特殊的較量。在我看來，與其說這屆世界杯是速度的盛宴，還不如說更像在對弈，但它依舊會是永載史冊。
Just don’t expect a goal festival like Germany v Brazil. In fact, the drubbing delivered to the hosts by Thomas Müller and co was one of the main reasons the second semi-final was such an anticlimax in comparison. Argentina and Holland both entered the game with a risk-averse plan and played pretty tight. Argentina knew they needed to sort out their defence after multiple scares in the group stages but they finally did with the arrival of Martín Demichelis who, alongside Ezequiel Garay, formed a very reliable centre-back pair.
不要指望能看到德國對陣巴西時的進球大戰。事實上，正是托馬斯·穆勒（Thomas Muller）和隊友共同導演對東道主的大比分勝利造成了第二場半決賽的平淡無奇。阿根廷和荷蘭均采取保守的戰術，踢得很謹慎。阿根廷意識到必須解決防線問題，在小組賽他們就因此吃盡苦頭，但最終阿根廷派出了德米凱利斯（Martin Demichelis）和加雷（Ezequiel Garay）的中衛搭檔，形成了一對非常可靠的防線。
On the Dutch side Louis van Gaal adopted the same strategy and that helped bring about a stalemate. Neither team gave the other space and, while Holland managed to keep Lionel Messi quiet, the Argentinians neutralised Arjen Robben.
反觀荷蘭隊，范加爾采用了相同的策略，因此兩隊僵持不下。兩隊都不給對手任何空間，當荷蘭隊成功限制住梅西，阿根廷人也讓羅本啞火。
There were few opportunities and it looked clear the game was heading towards penalties, which is why I was a bit baffled by Van Gaal’s decision not to use Tim Krul. He could and should have saved a sub, because the success of the move against Costa Rica also created a problem for the Dutch manager: poor Jasper Cillessen found himself under enormous pressure after being “snubbed” in the previous shootout. That gave Argentina confidence.
兩隊均沒有什么機會，明顯要將比賽拖入點球大戰，這也是我為何感到疑惑：范加爾為何沒有換上克魯爾。他可以，也應該保留一個換人名額給克魯爾，因為荷蘭戰勝哥斯達黎加的比賽，還給范加爾帶來一個新的問題，那就是可憐的希勒森（Jasper Cillessen）在點球大戰中被“冷落”之后，感受到了巨大的壓力，這也給了阿根廷隊信心。
The teams that will face each other on Sunday are very different. Germany are certainly more complete, more well-adjusted and have more alternatives to deal with varied match situations. But Argentina have got Messi and I won’t buy the criticism of him. Messi has been fundamental for Argentina in this tournament and even when he doesn’t play that well he still keeps the opposition fretting. Germany as a team are formidable and the way you see players exchanging passes and switching positions is amazing. But they do not have a player like Messi. Even Müller is not that guy.
7月13日的比賽對兩隊來說都各不相同。德國隊顯然更加完整，狀態調整得更好，且板凳深度足以應對比賽中的各種狀況。但阿根廷有梅西，而我對所有對他的批評都不認同。本屆杯賽上，梅西是阿根廷隊的核心，即使他并不在最佳狀態，但依舊讓對手聞風喪膽。作為一支整體，德國隊是一只很難對付的隊伍，球員之間的傳切配合、交叉換位讓人驚嘆。但他們沒有梅西這種水平的球員。甚至穆勒也達不到這個高度。
I believe Argentina will take the lessons of Brazil’s debacle and, instead of trying macho shenanigans, will play with as many men behind the ball as they can while hoping Messi can make the difference with one stroke. They cannot make the same mistake Brazil made in Belo Horizonte because Joachim L?w’s team will punish them just as badly as they did Big Phil Scolari’s boys. In this sense I have to pay compliment to Alejandro Sabella. He has shown the humility to change his mind when plan A didn’t work.
我相信阿根廷一定會從巴西的潰敗中吸取教訓，不會嘗試魯莽的進攻，而會派大量球員退縮防守，并指望梅西的致命一擊改變比賽。阿根廷決不能重蹈巴西隊覆轍，否則勒夫的球隊會像在貝洛奧里藏特（Belo Horizonte）教訓巴西隊一樣教訓阿根廷隊。在這方面，我不得不贊揚一下薩維利亞。這位阿根廷主帥展現出他的謙遜，在A計劃未能奏效時，薩維利亞就會改變戰術。
His 3-5-2 against Bosnia merely showed how detrimental to Messi it was and Sabella switched to a more appropriate formation to allow his best player to flourish. It is true that they now play in a kind of 4-4-2 with that midfield anchored by the great Javier Mascherano but they sorted what looked a very fragile defensive system and can now afford to hang in there and wait for Messi to pounce. Much as people in Buenos Aires will find it outrageous, this Argentina team remind me of Brazil in 1994, when they kept it tight at the back and allowed Romario to cut loose up front. But they are not a team that will suffocate Germany.
在對陣波黑的比賽中，阿根廷的3-5-2戰術極大抑制了梅西的發揮，薩維利亞隨即做出調整，采用更恰當的陣型讓梅西自由閃光。的確，阿根廷現在采用類似 4-4-2陣型，由馬斯切拉諾（Javier Mascherano）掌控中場，但他們的防守體系看起來仍舊非常薄弱，只能苦苦支撐，等待梅西的致命一擊。在布宜諾斯艾利斯，很多人驚奇地發現，這支阿根廷隊讓他們想起了1994年的巴西隊，那時巴西人同樣在后場保持密集防守，任由羅馬里奧在鋒線大殺四方。不過，阿根廷隊整體上會難以抑制德國隊。
This will be a very tactical game. L?w already knows he won’t have the acres of space and the all-round naivety he found against Brazil. And he will have to find a way to keep Messi quiet.
這將是一場戰術水平極高的比賽。勒夫知道，對手不會像天真的巴西隊那樣全面壓上進攻，因此德國隊不會再獲得很大的空間。此外，他必須找到限制梅西的方法。
I am very impressed with the Germany manager’s work. He was lucky to avoid more damage against Algeria and in a way Shkodran Mustafi’s injury helped him get his team right. Philipp Lahm had to move from midfield to the full-back position and Sami Khedira’s arrival was the hey-presto moment.
我對德國隊主教練的工作印象深刻。勒夫幸運地避免了在對阿爾及利亞的比賽中遭受更大的損失，而穆斯塔非（Shkodran Mustafi）的受傷在某種程度上讓球隊重回正軌。拉姆（Philipp Lahm）確實該從中場回到后衛，赫迪拉（Sami Khedira）又奇跡般地傷愈復出。
I understand why L?w persisted with Lahm in midfield. He plays in that position for his club thanks to Pep Guardiola and, although he is a very good player, he is neither tall nor getting younger. L?w also wanted to devise a formation in which he could use four defenders to compensate for his very mobile midfield.
我理解勒夫為何堅持讓拉姆出任后腰。因為瓜迪奧拉（Pep Guardiola）的安排，拉姆在俱樂部就打這個位置，即便他身材并不高大，也不再年輕，但確實是一個好球員。勒夫也想設計一個陣型，用四名防守球員換取一位跑動靈活的中場。
But I won’t diminish what they did in Belo Horizonte. When a team is on a roll they take their chances. Had Germany not been playing well I doubt they would have put seven goals past Brazil, no matter how fragile the Sele??o were on that evening. They hammered Brazil only because they did their homework, seizing upon Marcelo’s advances and David Luiz’s lack of tactical discipline. They toyed with us and you could see how organised L?w got his boys.
不過，我不會貶低德國隊大勝巴西的所作所為。一支球隊在比賽中就應當抓住機會進球。無論桑巴軍團當晚的防守多么不堪一擊，假如德國隊踢得不好，我想他們也難以打進七個球。德國隊大勝巴西，只因為做了自己準備充分，抓住馬塞洛（Marcelo）身后的空當，利用了大衛·魯伊斯（David Luiz）戰術紀律的淡薄。德國隊將我們玩弄于股掌之間，你能看出勒夫將這些小伙子組織得多好。
I put Germany’s chances of lifting a fourth World Cup at around 70%. But Messi can swing the momentum.
我認為德國隊奪得第四冠的幾率有70%。但梅西能撼動這個勢頭。
I find it silly that many Brazilians are horrified that Argentina made it to the final. It would honour the Maracan? to have a player like Messi crowned there. But I am Brazilian, so don’t expect me to cheer for him, OK? Besides, Germany’s second kit has the same colours as Flamengo, the Brazilian club that made me famous…
很多巴西人唯恐阿根廷奪冠，我認為這很愚蠢。見證梅西這樣的球員加冕是馬拉卡納球場的榮幸。但我是巴西人，所以別指望我會支持他，好嗎？另外，德國的客場球衣的配色和弗拉門戈是一樣的，那正是我成名的地方…
