Preview: Germany vs. Greece - NYTimes.com One of the most famous Monty Python sketches, featured on the Goal blog earlier this week is a simple soccer match between Germany and Greece entitled "International Philosophy." The twist in this timeless gag is that the two squads are built with classical thinkers from both nations" illustrious cultural past, as they do their best to not only beat each other at in the game, but to outwit and out think their opponents. Coincidentally, Friday's match in Gdansk, Poland, between Greece and Germany not only offers a game of soccer in much the same fashion as that of the Python farce - albeit of a slightly higher standard - but a battle of intellect and a study between two coaches who have allowed much of what has happened off the field to define their tenure, as much as what has happened on it. Fernando Santos's Greek team has endured a tough European Championships, with opening roller-coaster results against Poland (2-2) and the Czech Republic (2-1) - suggesting that the tough, resolute Greece championship of 2004 in Portugal was long gone. Only for a final match-day miracle over Russia through a Giorgios Karagounis goal and brave defending, ensuring qualification to the quarterfinals, and a prolonging of the festivities. Underwhelming and overachieving - criticism Greece has learned to accept and thrive on, add to a contagious underdog mentality that has done them well to get this far. Without Karagounis because of suspension, the Greeks are likely to stick to what they do best - defending, with an emphasis on catching Germany out on the break, exploiting the pace of Giorgos Samaras and the opportunistic nature of Fanis Gekas up front, as they did against Russia. With the slogan Born Fighters plastered across the team bus, Santos has done well to adopt the term and ride the wave of this siege mentality. When asked about the effects it may have back home, Samaras said, "We want to make people back in Greece happy, to give them something to celebrate." With the international community's eyes all resting on the economic problems at home, Santos's team has offered a momentary release of tension and an aberrant slither of hope to their country as they approach the match against Germany with their pride intact and minimum pressure. Described by Germany Coach Joachim Löw as "the masters of efficiency," Greece proposes an interesting obstacle for the young Germans. Bastian Schweinsteiger & Company have proved themselves as a ruthless, commanding presence in the tournament with Portugal, the Netherlands and Denmark - three capable and different teams - failing to take a single point. Within his 23-man squad, Löw possesses the tools and the means to win the tournament. A fact he is well aware of, and as such, has taken his time with each opponent, knowing that whatever may lurk around the corner can be dealt with when the time comes. Careful not to underestimate the Greeks, as Russia had done - we are likely to see the same squad that began the tournament, with the suspended Jerome Boateng likely to retake his spot at right back from Lars Bender. As Löw sticks with his tried and tested system, based around controlling and determining the nature of the game - a scheme that will seem likely against their quarterfinal opponent. With more extravagant, imaginative and all-round attacking options on the bench, Löw has come under great pressure from the news media and his fellow coaches in Germany to alter his system and allow more technically gifted forward players in to the starting squad, at the expense of the hard-working Thomas Müller and Lucas Podolski, against a team like Greece. Responding to the criticism, Löw said: "There has been no wall-building here and we have been creating chances. Our attack remains our priority but you have to find the right balance. Before adding, "If we were playing Brazil in a friendly match, then you can play with an exciting all-out attack but not in a tournament."" Naturally, criticism of a team that has maintained a perfect record in the tournament can only go so far before it stumbles into the realm of madness, and as such, Löw's Germany is widely expected to unlock the Greek defense with or without additional debutantes from the bench. With Germany's intimidating manner of play, and Greece's eagerness to sit back and allow its opponent in to its own half, a one-sided affair that favors both teams is inevitable. With expectations, reputations and tactics galore, this apparent deadlock looks set to be decided by the slightest diverging of roles, or the smallest mistake. Offense versus defense, one coach's ideology versus another; a fitting soccer spectacle, one might say, for Socrates or Marx.