DFB team: Debutants Stach and Schlotterbeck proud & self-critical

According to Wirtz & Co.

In the friendly against Israel, Hansi Flick made the next two junior European champions senior national players. Freiburg central defender Nico Schlotterbeck (22) and Mainz “six” Anton Stach (23), who came on as a substitute in the 2-0 win against Israel in Sinsheim, are the fifth and sixth newcomers in Flick’s tenure as national coach. And all six debutants are 2021 U21 champions.

Schlotterbeck had already been invited by Flick several times in the second half of 2021 and, as announced, made his first appearance in the DFB team. Stach was also happy and was allowed to play 27 minutes straight away. “It’s a good feeling that I’m here for the first time and that I came straight in,” he said “very proud and grateful” after the debut. His path from a regional league player to a Bundesliga promotion with Greuther Fürth to a national team player in Mainz in just over a year and a half is remarkable: “It all happened very quickly for me.”

DFB team: Stach’s nomination “surprise” – Schlotterbeck self-critical

Flick himself had previously described Stach’s nomination as a “surprise”: “He did a very good job in Mainz. Anton is not quite mature yet and still has room for improvement. But we want to see what potential he offers us. He has qualities that we can use.”

Meanwhile, fellow debutant Schlotterbeck was responsible for a penalty kick shortly before the end, which goalkeeper Kevin Trapp parried. The Freiburger agreed with the general criticism of his foul: “It was just bad, a lack of concentration, that shouldn’t happen to me. I have to thank Kevin, so it went off lightly for me.” Flick took the coveted defender to task, but also praised his ability to reflect: “Nico and I talked about the situation, he clearly saw it the same way we did – that’s a good move. He has to learn from it. These are things that can be deadly in the 90th minute at a World Cup. At this level you have to be fully concentrated for 90 minutes and you can’t make any mistakes.” Until then, Schlotterbeck had “done it very, very well”.

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Both Schlotterbeck and Stach were among the big winners in the Bundesliga market value update last Thursday. As a result of his nomination, the Mainzer doubled his market value to 8 million euros. Schlotterbeck is experiencing one of the biggest gains in the entire league this season: After being loaned to Union Berlin last season, he returned to Freiburg for €7.5m and has now been upgraded again – by €8m to €28m. Euro, which makes him – on par with Frankfurt’s Evan Ndicka (22) – the most valuable Bundesliga professional who does not play in Munich, Dortmund, Leipzig or Leverkusen.

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