National coach Hansi Flick can only gather the German national soccer team three times before direct preparation for the Winter World Cup in Qatar. The former FC Bayern coach has to solve a tricky defense puzzle in which the injury to a future BVB star plays a crucial role.
When Hansi Flick announced his squad for the friendlies against Israel (Saturday from 8:45 p.m. in the LIVE ticker) and the Netherlands last Friday, many observers were amazed.
The “painful” cancellation of Niklas Süle and many aches and pains among his Qatar candidates prompted the national coach to make some unexpected personnel decisions at the start of the World Cup year.
Joachim Löw’s successor is forced to improvise, especially on the defensive: In addition to Süle, whose cancellation due to a torn muscle in his thigh, Flick only found out the day before the squad was called up, Robin Gosens (Inter Milan) and Jonas Hofmann (Borussia Mönchengladbach) are also missing. due to injury.
Süle’s short-term failure illustrates the constant danger in the next eight months until the World Cup kicks off on November 21st. As an experienced coach, Flick knows how fragile planning a tournament is. The biggest dangers are form crises and even more injuries.
Nico Schlotterbeck plays in the focus of BVB and FC Bayern
Flick must in the absence of Niklas Sulewho after the announcement of his summer move to BVB was in top form start looking for new defensive constellations, at least for the time being. The former successful coach of FC Bayern should be aware that the central defense in particular has recently been a critical point for the team.
Nominally, he has some alternatives: In addition to the seeded ones Antonio Ruediger (Chelsea FC) and Matthew Ginter (Borussia Mönchengladbach) there are several younger defenders who are pushing into the World Cup focus, for example Nico Schlotterbeck from SC Freiburg.
The 22-year-old has been targeted by Borussia Dortmund and Bayern with consistently strong performances this season. Flick has invited Schlotterbeck to the DFB team several times, but has not yet used it. That will change this time. “He will definitely play his first game,” announced the national coach at the press conference on Friday.
What he likes about Schlotterbeck is that he “wants to have the ball and acts very confidently,” said Flick, who attested to the Freiburg player being “a bit too comfortable” from time to time. He and Christian Streich are already working on this deficit.
Nico Schlotterbeck (centre) is about to make his international debut
Another option is Thilo Kehrer from Paris Saint-Germain, who is appreciated by Flick for his flexibility. Since Löw’s successor has been in charge on the sidelines of the DFB team, the former Schalke player has been used in every game.
There is also a returnee Robin Koch (last international match 2021), who according to Flick at Leeds United recently “convinced”. Similar to Leverkusen’s Jonathan Tah but the England legionnaire only has outsider chances of a World Cup ticket.
No more room for BVB veteran Mats Hummels
The BVB defender, who recently fell ill with Corona, is still not part of the squad Mats Hummelswith whom the national coach discussed the situation again in a telephone call.
The World Cup perspective is only minimal for the ex-world champion, Hummels probably played his 76th and last international match in the European Championship against England. The Süle injury should not change that.
The veteran has been injured too often in recent months, so he never found his rhythm at BVB and fell through the grid at Flick. The nomination condition for the first international double pack was the ability to play in both games. At the World Cup, the highest willingness to perform will be required every four days, Flick made clear.
“If we want to be successful in Qatar, the prerequisite is that all players are in top shape, that’s the focus we set,” explained Löw’s successor. Convalescents should therefore rather work on their comeback at their clubs.
Hansi Flick announces “trying out” in defense
Flick now wants to use the upcoming tests to give the challengers behind Süle, Ginter and Rüdiger, who will all definitely be at the World Cup, a chance to prove themselves.
“We wanted to try to have the top players with us. Now a few are out, so we’re taking the opportunity to see one or the other,” explained the DFB coach. It’s “trying it out on the one hand”, but of course you want to “tackle both games very seriously and win them”.
Now it’s up to Flick to find the right mix to get the central defense under control until the World Cup.
Heiko Lütkehus