Germany's World Cup Preparations Thrown into Disarray After 5-1 Thumping

Surprise Defeat Raises Concerns Ahead of Euro 2004

Romania Stuns Germany in World Cup Qualifier

Germany's preparations for Euro 2004 have been thrown into disarray following a surprise 5-1 thumping by Romania in a World Cup qualifier on Sunday. The heavy defeat raises concerns about the team's form and fitness ahead of the major tournament in Portugal.

Romania took an early lead through Ciprian Marica and never looked back, scoring four more goals in the second half. Germany's sole consolation came from a penalty by Michael Ballack.

The result is a major setback for Germany, who were expected to easily dispatch Romania. The defeat has left coach Jurgen Klinsmann with plenty of questions to answer as he attempts to prepare his team for Euro 2004.

Germany's next match is against Scotland on Wednesday. They will need to bounce back from this defeat and put in a strong performance to regain confidence ahead of the European Championships.