The goalkeeper was a member of the Bayern Munich side which overcame a three-point deficit on the last day of the Bundesliga season to sneak the title from Bayer Leverkusen on goal difference.

And Kahn said: "Everything's possible in football - why shouldn't we get our own slice of luck here at Euro 2000?

"We are in good spirits for the Portugal game and perhaps we won't have to pack our bags and go home just yet. We've almost got no chance, but that was the case with Bayern too."

Germany's qualification hopes have been given a fillip with the news Portugal are set to field a weakened side in the Group A clash.

Victory for Erich Ribbeck's side, combined with a Romania win against England in Charleroi, could see the Germans edge into the last eight.

Luis Figo and Rui Costa, arguably the best two players of the tournament so far, are likely to start on the bench as coach Humberto Coelho looks to give his fringe players an opportunity to shine.

His side ensured their qualification as group winners with a last-gasp win against Romania on Saturday, but key man Figo picked up a booking.

Another against Germany would rule him out of the quarter-finals and Coelho is keen to avoid such an outcome.

"Now there is the chance to look at our squad players and see how they react to the competition," the coach said in Spanish sports daily Marca.

Joao Pinto could also be rested, giving Lazio midfielder Sergio Conceicao a chance to impress from the start.

The German camp is surprisingly buoyant ahead of kick-off, with coach Ribbeck steadfastly maintaining his side will reach the last eight.

They will qualify if they and Romania both win, and Germany win by a greater margin.

If they both win by the same score, Romania will qualify by virtue of better qualifying results for France 98 and Euro 2000.

Lothar Matthaus will earn his 150th cap if he plays in Rotterdam and the pressure on Ribbeck to drop the New York-New Jersey Metrostars 'libero' has been eased after his assured performance against England.

But it is now an assumption in Germany that Ribbeck will be replaced after Euro 2000.

'The worst team in living memory. After the England game it is clear that his spell is over', said one tabloid headline in Germany.

But midfielder Mehmet Scholl, scorer of Germany's equaliser against Romania and one of the few successes of their campaign, has sprung to his coach's defence.

"I have got to know Erich Ribbeck as a fine man," he said.

Former Bayern boss Giovanni Trapattoni and Bayer Leverkusen coach Christoph Daum are among the hot tips to take over, with the German Press seemingly convinced the defence of the title they won at Wembley in 1996 will be over by late Tuesday night.

Paolo Rink could come in for Ulf Kirsten, anonymous against Sol Campbell and Martin Keown on Saturday, but should Kirsten see any action he will pick up the 100th cap of a career which began with the old East Germany.

Young Hertha Berlin winger Sebastian Deisler was one of Germany's few successes in the England defeat and despite all the criticism of the team around him, he remains stoically optimistic.

"We must put everything into Tuesday's game in Rotterdam," he said. "Then we can only hope Romania help us out."