Germany may have rather progressed to a quarter-final in Vienna as the winners of Group B, but finishing as runners-up behind Croatia has had its benefits for fans of the Mannschaft – 40,000 of whom made the short hop over the border to Basel for tonight's meeting with Portugal.

Giant flag
Basel's UEFA EURO 2008™ delegate Hanspeter Weisshaupt said this morning that the city was well prepared for the huge invasion of German supporters – especially at the Weil am Rhein border crossing where those making the journey by car were met by a 17-metre Germany flag. Thousands of fans arrived on the eve of the match, however, including Friedi from Reinstetten in Baden-Württemberg who travelled with four friends in a specially-designed German EURO bus.

National anthem
The 39-year-old purchased the vehicle three years ago and first customised it for the 2006 FIFA World Cup on home soil before changing the livery for this event. "We follow the team everywhere," Friedi said. "Our goal is to lead a motorcade to Vienna." Friedi drove his bus to Barfüsserplatz in central Basel this afternoon, and kept fans of both national teams entertained by playing music from large speakers – although the Portuguese were less inclined to join in when 'Einigkeit und Recht und Freiheit', the German national anthem, was blasting out.