Germany coach Joachim Loew has said defender Jerome Boateng 'owes' the team as the Bayern Munich star battles to make the starting line-up to face Portugal in their opening Euro 2012 match on Saturday.
Boateng hit the headlines in Germany at the start of the week after he was photographed in a late-night tryst with glamour model Gina-Lisa Lohfink, 25, in a Berlin hotel shortly before the German team met to fly to Poland on Monday.
Germany face Portugal in Lviv, Ukraine, and Boateng is vying with Leverkusen's Lars Bender for the right-back berth so the 23-year-old must prove himself having left Loew fuming.
"Jerome Boateng is fully focused because after causing these headlines he is a little bit in my debt to me, because frankly I didn't like what I read," Loew said at Thursday's press conference.
"I spoke to him about this and while he was doing all this during his time off, I didn't like what he did.
"He is ready to give 100 percent to prove his critics wrong and he has to prove himself over the next few weeks.
"On the right, the first option would be Jerome Boateng, but I have seen in training that Lars Bender could do well in that position and I'll wait until tomorrow (Friday) to make a decision."
Germany are bidding to win a fourth European title and Loew has brought in some rules for his players during the tournament which culminates in the final in Kiev on July 1.
They have been told they may not post on Twitter or Facebook anything regarding tactics, team line-ups or anything from within the squad, while they will be allowed visits from wives and families only after the games.
Alcohol is not banned, but any drinking must be in moderation.
Loew has said captain Philipp Lahm will start at left-back against Portugal, even though he plays the majority of his club football on the right for Bayern Munich.
Source: AFP
