U21 coach Antonio Di Salvo could rely on the duo Lennart Karl and Said El Mala right from the start at the end of the year.
“One on the right, the other on the left. That’s quite conceivable. Let yourself be surprised,” said the 46-year-old about his two youngest players in the squad before the important endurance test in the European Championship qualification on Tuesday (6 p.m./Sat.1) in Georgia.
El Mala rejoined the DFB selection from the senior national team on Sunday – and gives Di Salvo further options in the already strong offensive line. “I’ll wait until training, see how Said feels, how he gets in, and then decide tomorrow,” said Di Salvo.
El Mala (19) from 1. FC Köln and Karl (17) from FC Bayern recently caused a sensation in their clubs. National coach Julian Nagelsmann recently named the two as candidates for the World Cup in the summer. While Karl scored twice on his U21 debut against Malta (6-0) on Friday, El Mala sat on the bench for 90 minutes in the senior national team’s 2-0 win in Luxembourg and should now collect playing time.
Di Salvo expects a “very unpleasant opponent” in Tbilisi who was not able to exploit his full potential in the 3-0 defeat to impeccable league leaders Greece on Friday. And yet: “We want to impose our game on Georgia, be dominant – and take the three points,” said Di Salvo.
Dennis Seimen from second division leaders SC Paderborn will start in goal; Di Salvo had already communicated the division of labor with Mio Backhaus (Werder Bremen), who was in goal against Malta, at the beginning of the course. Tom Bischof will once again lead the team onto the pitch as captain.