Germany’s tense penalty shoot-out win in Bordeaux came at a high price.
Centre-back Mats Hummels picked up a yellow card which sees him suspended in Marseille.
Striker Mario Gomez and midfielder Sami Khedira picked up thigh and groin injuries respectively which rule them out of the semi-final.
To compound their problems, Germany captain Bastian Schweinsteiger is highly doubtful with a knee strain.
Germany coach Joachim Loew is set to resort to a 4-2-3-1 formation having used a 3-5-2 against Italy.
With Gomez out, World Cup-winner Mario Goetze is set to start up front, but Loew said he may play his Bayern Munich
team-mate Thomas Mueller alongside him in attack.
Gomez’s thigh tear means he will also miss the final, should Germany progress.
With Hummels suspended, Shkodran Mustafi or Benedikt Hoewedes will partner Jerome Boateng at centre-back with
Joshua Kimmich at right-back and Jonas Hector on the left.
Loew has said he expects to introduce a new face into the midfield with Liverpool’s Emre Can or Julian Weigl of Borussia Dortmund set to partner Toni Kroos in the defensive midfield.
France striker Giroud has scored against Manuel Neuer in each of the last three games for France and Arsenal, a threat
the Germans must counter.
“He is a very dangerous poacher inside the box,” said Neuer.
“He is strong in the air, he is dangerous for central defenders.
“But we know him and can prepare for him and they have a lot of other quality players.”
For France, defender Adil Rami and midfielder N’Golo Kante are back in contention after missing the win over Iceland through suspension.
The French camp is full of praise for the world champions, but the message is clear.
“We’d like to write another chapter in French football history,” said Giroud while French sports daily L’Equipe ran the front-page headline ‘Thirsty for Revenge’ on Tuesday.
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