Germany to deploy captain Lahm at left-back to counter Ronaldo threat

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UPDATED:

12:42 GMT, 7 June 2012

Germany manager Joachim Low has revealed he will deploy his captain Philipp Lahm at left-back in an attempt to shackle Cristiano Ronaldo in their opening game against Portugal on Saturday.

Lahm prefers to play right-back – as he is naturally right-footed and plays there for club side Bayern Munich – but he is comfortable switching flanks.

Food for thought: Lahm (centre) is set to start at left-back for Germany

Dangerman: Low hopes Lahm can shackle Ronaldo

Although the Germans head into the tournament as second-favourites behind Spain, their back four has not been settled since the 2010 World Cup and they conceded five in a defeat to Switzerland last month.

But Low is confident that Lahm's inclusion on the left will benefit his side, although he admitted he is not sure who his right-back will be.

'It is very good for us that Philipp will play on the left,' Low told said.

'On the right one alternative is Jerome Boateng but Lars Bender has been very good in training in that position. I like him there.'

Boateng plays at centre-back for Bayern but is the favourite to feature at right-back, while Bender is naturally a defensive midfielder.

Although the full-back position are unsettled, Low has a settled centre-back pairing of Dortmund's Mats Hummels and Bayern's Holger Badstuber as he prepares his side to take on Ronaldo and Co.