DFB juniors
U21 European Championship: “Dream has burst” for Beyer and Thielmann
The German U21 national team is preparing for the European Championships in South Tyrol. photo
© Angelika Warmuth/dpa
The German U21s have to travel to the finals of the European Championship without the injured professionals Jordan Beyer and Jan Thielmann. Coach Di Salvo does not have to decide about prank candidates. The dress rehearsal is approaching.
Germany’s U21 national team has to cope with another personnel setback. The team will contest the European Championship finals without Jordan Beyer and Jan Thielmann.
Due to injuries, the two professionals who have been scheduled cannot travel to the tournament from June 21 to July 8 in Georgia and Romania with the team of the European soccer champions. Due to the failures of Beyer (FC Burnley) and Cologne’s Thielmann, coach Antonio Di Salvo was at least relieved of the painful decision about his prank candidates.
“Jordan’s and Jan’s injuries are extremely painful for us, but especially for the two boys,” said Di Salvo at the training camp in Prato. “Personally, I feel very sorry for her that her European Championship dream is shattered so shortly before the tournament. Nevertheless, we have to look ahead now. We deliberately nominated more than 23 players in advance – also to be able to react to possible injuries. “
Di Salvo confident for EM
Di Salvo still has a week to prepare his selection for the EM emergency on June 22 against Israel. Other group opponents are the Czech Republic (June 25) and England (June 28). On Sunday, the team that goes into the finals as the defending champions will finally leave for Georgia.
He was “confident that we are very well prepared for the European Championship despite the failures,” said Di Salvo. Defender Beyer was scheduled as a regular. He had already had problems with a tendon in his foot during the season in England. Offensive player Thielmann also had prospects of a place in the first EM team.
Originally, Di Salvo had called up 26 players for the provisional EM squad. Due to the absence of Beyer, Thielmann and Patrick Osterhage (VfL Bochum), who did not even travel to the training camp due to an injury, the team has now been reduced to the maximum number of 23 players allowed.
The dress rehearsal in a non-public test match in South Tyrol against Switzerland is on Friday. “We’re happy to be back on the pitch as a team. The boys, the coaching team and the staff: everyone is in the mood to attack together at the European Championship,” said Dortmund’s young star Youssoufa Moukoko, who defeated a South Tyrolean team 7-0 Selection as a double goal scorer already presented in a goal mood.