Interview with Micael Ortiz by the "Canberra Times"

Tension mounts for Euro soccer tragics

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By Daniel MacDonald (Canberra Times - Saturday, 28 June 2008)

As Canberra's day-time workforce trudged to its offices yeste'rday morning Narrabundah soccer fanatic Micael Ortiz was wide awake and full of Spanish song.

His countrymen were "en ruta" to the Euro 2008 final after an inspirational 3-0 win over Russia in the Austrian capital.

A win on Monday morning over Germany will end 44 years of footballing underachievement for Spain. For Ortiz, it would be "brilliant" .

"I have watched it all so far and I will be getting up again and watching early on Monday morning," Ortiz said, bleary eyed like most of his Spanish Embassy workmates.

"I got a few people around to my house like I had done for all the games before but this time was something different. It almost felt like a final."

Spain progressed into the final through three second-half goals to Xavi, Daniel Guiza and David Silva. The last time it was in this position was in 1984 when France claimed the silverware 2-0 at the final hurdle.

Spain's only major tournament win was in 1964 when it became European champion after beating the then USSR 2-1 in Madrid.

"Usually we play with the Spanish flair but have just lacked a bit of the confidence I think that the other teams have had [in the past]," Ortiz said. "We have always had a really talented team, it's just that the Spanish players were all playing in Spain. Now they are all around the world playing with all the best clubs and that experience has given them that confidence.

"All we need now is a little boost of luck."

Xavi's 50th-minute volley to put Spain 1-0 up had Ortiz on his feet. "It was the most important of course because it was the first one," he said. "The first one is so important because it opened up the game for us and we just went on with it after that."

Standing in Spain's path to glory is a soccer powerhouse. Germany has won three European championship trophies and three World Cups.

Hans Milek moved to Canberra from Germany's Black Forest more than 30 years ago. He said Germany could win its fourth title.

"If they play their own game they can win," Milek said. "[Spain] are a bit of an unknown quantity. We need to be at our best though."

Stuttgart-born Martina Weizmann !

PASSIONATE: Spanish soccer fan Micael Ortiz is ready for Monday's big match.

HIGH HOPES: Martina Weizmann and Hans Milek will be cheering on Germany.

said she would be cheering her nation on as if she was still at home.

"My friends have told me that the . football fever is going off at home," she said. "It is hard to get up at four in the morning but I will be up."

For Spanish fans the match will be shown at the Spanish Australian Club in Narrabundah. German fans are around the corner at the Harmonie German Club. The fact they are walking distance from each other adds to the atmosphere Ortiz said.

"We will be chanting pretty loudly at them if we win," he said.