Germany to face Spain at World Cup with 'negative memories' of friendly rout

Doha (AFP) – Four-time champions Germany and 2010 winners Spain were drawn to meet in the same group at the World Cup finals on Friday.

The European giants will also face Japan as well as the winners of an intercontinental play-off between Costa Rica and New Zealand in Group E.

Spain thrashed Germany 6-0 in a Nations League match last November.

Germany goalkeeper and captain Manuel Neuer said: “It was inevitable that we were going to get a strong opponent from the pot.

“We have negative memories, but something like that doesn’t happen to us twice.

“We’re confident, we’re going to have a good tournament,” the Bayern Munich player said.

Coach Hansi Flick told ARD: “It’s an interesting group, but not easy.

“We’re expecting a lot from this tournament. Japan is a team with a lot of players in the Bundesliga so they have a lot of quality.

“We were intending to play a friendly against them so that will be ditched.”