Lukas Podolski plays down Switzerland defeat

By Robert Summerscales, Reporter | 28 May 2012

Lukas Podolski plays down the significance of Germany's 5-3 defeat to Switzerland and maintains that the team will produce its best form at Euro 2012.

Lukas Podolski is confident that Germany will produce their best form at Euro 2012 despite suffering an embarrassing loss to Switzerland.

The 26-year-old Arsenal forward played 61 minutes on Saturday night as Germany were beaten 5-3 in the warm-up match in Basel.

Manager Joachim Low was unable to name any players from Bayern Munich for that game, as they were being rested following their Champions League final loss to Chelsea.

Podolski believes that performances and results will improve once the squad is at full strength.

He told the official website of the German Football Association: "There is no doubt that with the eight Bayern players here, the quality improves. They are top guys and we have missed them.

"It has been the same in previous years, when we lost 4-1 to Italy [in 2006], for example.

"Of course defeats like this shouldn't happen and they hurt, and losing 5-3 to Switzerland is definitely not on, but I can promise there will be a different team on the field [at Euro 2012]."

Podolski has scored 43 goals in 96 international appearances for Germany.