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Agence France-Presse

Germany captain Bastian Schweinsteiger will make his first start of Euro 2016 in Thursday’s semi-final against France, coach Joachim Loew has confirmed.
The Manchester United star suffered a knee strain in Saturday’s quarter-final penalty shoot-out win over Italy, but has recovered in time to face France in Marseille.
“In a game like this, his experience is very valuable and, in any case, he will start,” confirmed Loew on Wednesday.
“He will be involved. The injury is as good as cured and he is very, very important for our team.”
After recovering from tearing the medial ligament in his right knee in March, all of Schweinsteiger’s four appearances so far at this European Championship finals have been off the bench.
The 31-year-old netted with only his third touch off the ball late in Germany’s 2-0 win over Ukraine in their opening game.
Schweinsteiger came on for Sami Khedira in the first half of the win over Italy and aggravated his right knee problem in the process, but Germany’s medical staff have declared him fit to face the French.
Germany squeezed through 6-5 on penalties against Italy after the match ended 1-1 after extra time, although Schweinsteiger drilled his spot kick over the bar.

Schweinsteiger will win his 120th cap at Marseille’s Stade Velodrome and will partner Toni Kroos in central midfield with Khedira ruled out by a groin injury.
But Loew gave away no other clues as to who will replace injured striker Mario Gomez or centre-back Mats Hummels, who is suspended.
“I have the line-up in my head and have answered a few questions I had in the last few days,” said Loew cryptically.
“We are going to have to be compact and close down the space in defence.
“France are going to be the toughest opponents we have had in the tournament until now.
“The game will be similar to 2014 [when Germany won 1-0 in the World Cup quarter-finals] and France have improved since then.”

The world champions have had a day longer than France to recover from the quarter-finals.
While Germany needed 120 minutes and penalties to beat the Azzurri, France dispatched Iceland 5-2 on Sunday over 90 minutes.
“If you compare the two quarter-finals, we had a more intensive game than France,” said Kroos.
“But their game was a day later and in the unlikely case that things go badly wrong for us, I wouldn’t use the Italy game as an explanation.”
Daytime temperatures in Marseille are expected to hit 32 degrees, but Kroos did not expect heat to be a factor for the 2100 kick-off (3am HKT).
“I’m used to playing in warm temperatures in Madrid. I enjoy playing in the heat far more than in the rain,” said the Real Madrid midfielder.


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2016 Uefa European Championship (Euro 2016)

Germany's Schweinsteiger to start in Euro semi

epa05410449 Germany's Bastian Schweinsteiger (foreground C) and team members during a training session of the German national soccer team in Evian, France, 06 July 2016. Germany will face France in a semi final of the UEFA EURO 2016 in Marseille on 07 July. EPA/ARNE DEDERT

epa05410448 Germany's Bastian Schweinsteiger during a training session of the German national soccer team in Evian, France, 06 July 2016. Germany will face France in a semi final of the UEFA EURO 2016 in Marseille on 07 July. EPA/Arne Dedert

epa05410447 Germany's head coach Joachim Loew during a training session of the German national soccer team in Evian, France, 06 July 2016. Germany will face France in a semi final of the UEFA EURO 2016 in Marseille on 07 July. EPA/Christian Charisius

France must go on the attack to have any chance of finally beating Germany, says Deschamps

France's coach Didier Deschamps attends a training session AFP

France's midfielder Paul Pogba attends a training session by French football players in the southern French city of Marseille on July 6, 2016 on the eve of their Euro 2016 Semi-Final match against Germany. France coach Didier Deschamps has called on Les Bleus to go on the attack to end a 58-year wait to beat Germany in a major tournament and book a spot in the Euro 2016 final. / AFP PHOTO / FRANCK FIFE

epa05411136 France's Laurent Koscielny (R) and Christophe Jallet (L) during a training session at Centre d'Entrainement Robert Louis-Dreyfus, Marseille, France, 06 July 2016. France will face Germany in the second UEFA EURO 2016 semi final match, held at the Stade Velodrome in Marseille on 07 July. EPA/PETER POWELL

France goalkeeper Hugo Lloris stops the ball during a training session at the Centre Robert Louis Dreyfus, in Marseille, southern France, Wednesday, July 6, 2016. France will face Germany in a Euro 2016 semifinal soccer match in Marseille on Thursday, July 7, 2016. (AP Photo/Claude Paris)

Germany's Schweinsteiger to start in Euro semi

Midfielder passed fit in time to face France