Germany’s basketball players threaten a tremor at the end of the European Championship qualification. National coach Alex Mumbru can rely on several world champions again in the complicated game in Montenegro on Thursday (7 p.m.) and at the final home game on Sunday against Bulgaria (5:30 p.m.).
“We have two little finals”said Mumbru before departure to Podgorica. He knew, according to Mumbru, “That it is a difficult situation”. It was also clear to him that it “Gives the possibility”to miss the European Championship. And yet he was convinced “That we will be ready”.
In Group D, the world champions are currently in second place behind leaders Montenegro (3: 1) after two wins and two defeats. Behind it follows Sweden (2: 2) and Bulgaria (1: 3). Only the first three teams are at the European Championship.
The tremor threatens in the European Championship qualification
With a victory in Montenegro, Germany can already solve the ticket for the European Championship in Latvia, Finland, Poland and Cyprus (August 27 and September 14) – if Sweden wins in the parallel game in Bulgaria. However, if only one of the two conditions does not occur, there could be a real final in Group D on Sunday (5.30 p.m.) against the Bulgarians in Bamberg. The DBB team could then miss an EM for the first time since 1991.
In this sensitive location, however, the national coach can rely on concentrated world champion power. Unlike his debut last autumn: At the time, Gordon Herbert’s successor had to do without the NBA stars around Dennis Schröder and Franz Wagner as well as the Bayern and Alba professionals that play in the Euroleague. It was a wild squad that once lost and once won against Sweden.
Six world champions from Manila in the DBB squad
In the February international play window, Europe’s premier class is pausing, so Mumbru can fall back on six players in the two games against Montenegro and Bulgaria who won the World Cup title in 2023. In addition to the Munich residents Johannes Voigtmann and Andreas Obst, the Isaac Bonga playing at Partizan Belgrade, Daniel Theis will also be included in Bamberg against Bulgaria, who switched from the NBA to AS Monaco a few days ago on the defensive.
For Mumbru it is “One of the keys”that he can fall back on the established professionals. “They are world champions, they have a lot of experience. In a difficult situation like ours, it is important that these players are with us”so Mumbru.
From FC Bayern and Alba Berlin, the two German Euroleague clubs, there are four players in the squad, and the Spanish national coach also relies on that. “We can’t do much in training, so it is good that the boys already know each other from the clubs”said Mumbru, who only met the team in Munich on Monday.
Voigtmann: “Take the pressure on”
“The pressure is great”said co-captain Johannes Voigtmann in “Magentasport”, emphasized: “We definitely want to be at the European Championship in summer, that’s very clear.” Shortly before the end of not being qualified, take care of “A certain tension”says Voigtmann: “We take the pressure.”
“We are world champions. We all know that we are here to win two games” said Bayern Munich’s point Guard Justus Hollatz.