National coach Martina Voss-Tecklenburg cycled along the Thames – her players Sara Däbritz, Giulia Gwinn, Sara Doorsoun and Sophia Kleinherne strolled through Brentford with a coffee to go.
The German soccer players used the free Sunday afternoon at the European Championship before the countdown to the group game hit against Spain started. “Spain will challenge us differently. We have to communicate a lot. We’re going into the next game with great determination,” said defender Marina Hegering.
The final training session at Grasshoppers Brentford rugby club is scheduled for Monday afternoon. On Tuesday (9:00 p.m. CEST/ARD and DAZN) points for the quarter-finals will be at stake for the second time in West London. Germany recommended themselves with a 4-0 win against Denmark at the start, as did Spain with a 4-1 win against Finland for progress.
Group winners could avoid England
As group winners, the DFB women should also play the first knockout game in Brentford – and may be able to avoid hosts and title candidates England. “I think that we don’t primarily go through constellations that await us after the group phase,” said goalkeeper Merle Frohms. “It’s about us, about getting three points in every game, feeling good and knowing that we can beat anyone.”
The defensive work against the Spaniards with their many professionals from FC Barcelona will be particularly challenged. “We have to play very good pressing and stay compact because they like to play with their short passing game,” said Hegering (FC Bayern Munich). The 32-year-old is the oldest German European Championship player and, like Frohms from Frankfurt, will play for VfL Wolfsburg next season.
