The German national soccer team will open the long preparation phase for the home European Championship 2024 with a tactical change. The development around Julian Nagelsmann surprises national coach Hansi Flick.
In the first international match of the year on Saturday (8.45 p.m., March 25th, 2023) in Mainz, national coach Hansi Flick will field a double lead with Bremen’s Niclas Füllkrug and Leipzig’s Timo Werner. The latter had missed the World Cup in Qatar injured. With that, Flick wants one “huge presence” in the opposing penalty area, as he said on Friday in Frankfurt.
Behind the two strikers, Flick will regroup the midfield around captain Joshua Kimmich with two sixes and two more attacking players. Marc-André ter Stegen will be in goal following the absence of injured captain Manuel Neuer. This also applies to the second test game next Tuesday in Cologne against Belgium.
Impact on the national team
Flick (58) praised the six international newcomers in his squad for their good training performance. The national coach and also captain Kimmich declared a win against the Peruvians to be “most important goal” At the new start after the World Cup. Flick promised the spectators in the sold-out stadium in Mainz a German team with “huge commitment”.
According to Flick, the development of the coach at Bayern, which also surprised him, also has an impact on the Munich stars in the national team. “It’s not going to inspire everyone. Nevertheless, it’s my job to talk to all the players – I’ve already done that. Now we have to wait and see what really comes out in the end.”said the national coach.
The former Bayern coach Flick, who triumphed with Bayern in the Champions League and won seven titles, was “very surprisedt” from the “headlines“But Bayern didn’t comment, out of respect for Julian and Bayern, I don’t want to say anything more,” said Flick.