Gündogan is still missing, 2 injured
Hansi Flick arrived at the impressive Warsaw National Stadium with a slight delay alongside youngster Jamal Musiala (20) – and had prepared several messages for the doubting football nation. With a firm voice, the national coach strengthened his ailing national team on the eve of the important test of strength with Poland’s selection around Robert Lewandowski (34), especially Joshua Kimmich (28), counted on by record national player Lothar Matthäus. Flick assured the fans twelve months before the home European Championship in 2024: “I’m not worried at all.”
He and his team are “convinced that next year we will have a team that is well prepared for the European Championship,” said Flick. Despite all the setbacks, like just a few days earlier in the 3-3 win over Ukraine. This Friday (8.45 p.m. / ARD) in Warsaw he will make “some changes” in his starting eleven. Musiala will play, as will Emre Can (29). The hopeful Ilkay Gündogan (32), who only arrived on Wednesday, will not appear after his triple victory with Manchester City.
The 27-man squad of the DFB for the international matches in June
In terms of mentality, the national coach put Kimmich from Munich on the same level as basketball superstars Michael Jordan and Kobe Bryant. He could understand the Matthew criticism (“The people next to him were constantly getting worse next to him”) “zero point zero”. “He has the mentality of always wanting to win, he does everything for it, and he also has the right to have a bad phase,” said Flick. Like the all-time winner Jordan and Bryant, who died in 2020, Kimmich goes ahead and is a role model.
Feel free to criticize me, but please keep the players out
Accordingly, Flick appealed to the media representatives present: “You are welcome to criticize me, but please leave the players outside. Everyone is ready to give everything at the end of a long season.” Musiala reported a good atmosphere in the team. Everything is “tipptop” and if the DFB selection wins now, “then everything will be even better,” said the 20-year-old.
Gündogan only plays against Colombia for the DFB team – 2 injured Leipzig
Gündogan is only due to play against Colombia in his hometown of Gelsenkirchen next Tuesday. In the morning at the final training session, Flick’s smile was clearly visible in the conversation with the midfielder. Even if the Champions League winner does not play at first: the presence of the world-class player is definitely a positive sign. “I hope that I can bring some momentum after the successes so that we can end the season well with the national team,” said Gündogan according to “Bild” when he arrived at the team. As captain of the Citizens, he lifted the silver handle pot into the Istanbul night sky last Saturday – a rare celebration for a German international in recent years.
Outside player Robin Gosens, who had lost the final of the “premier class” with Inter Milan, was already training with the team on Thursday. The 28-year-old could be the alternative to the disappointing Leipziger David Raum (25) on the left. Raum’s cup winner colleague Timo Werner (27) was not on the plane because of his ankle problems and Lukas Klostermann (27) who suffered a thigh muscle injury in the final training session.
It’s about delivering results, said Jonas Hofmann (30) from Mönchengladbach. In theory, football seems very simple again: With two wins thanks to convincing performances, Flick can breathe before the EM warm-up in September against World Cup terror Japan and tournament favorite France continues. Another error festival like against Ukraine – and Flick’s second chance after the World Cup debacle in Qatar was more likely than ever.
Flick assured in the evening that the problems with his selection had nothing to do with the system and the experiment with the three-man defense. “It’s not our aim,” said Flick about the three goals conceded in Bremen. “It definitely has nothing to do with the formation we play in.” He wanted to see “the basics”, “how do I go into a duel? How do I insure?”
With Moukoko and Weiper: The final EM squad of the German U21
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