Against Italy, the DFB-Elf celebrated a conciliatory farewell to the summer break with a 5-2 win. Nevertheless, a few players should feel like losers in the international series.
A response had been demanded – and it came. After the disappointing results and meager performances in the first three games of the UEFA Nations League, national coach Hansi Flick spoke of a “step backwards” and “lack of conviction”.
The 5-2 victory over Italy, synonymous with one of the highest international wins against their eternal rivals, gave an indication of who is almost certain of their World Cup ticket. On the other hand, which players need to improve and go into the summer break as losers in the June internationals.
Already in the second half of the season at FC Bayern, the exceptional talent had to contend with severe fluctuations in performance. With this impression Sané went into the international matches and confirmed his creative crisis.
Before the Italy game, DFB director Oliver Bierhoff publicly demanded that he have to fight his way out of it himself. Sané was given the chance for 90 minutes, but his current form wasn’t just reflected in his body language.
With a pass rate of only 71 percent, he had the weakest value of all German players and recorded the most turnovers of all players on the pitch (20). His lack of confidence was expressed in all games, especially in front of the opposing goal: In the 156 minutes playing time in the Nations League, the 26-year-old only had one shot on goal and only had two ball actions in the opponent’s sixteen. A more than sobering yield.
Four years ago, Leroy Sané missed the World Cup in Russia because Joachim Löw complained about a lack of maturity. He should be spared this fate with a view to the World Cup in Qatar, but in his current form he is threatened with a regular place on the bench.
Nico Schlotterbeck (SC Freiburg, from 07/22 BVB)
The newcomer to Dortmund definitely has what it takes to become one of the defining defensive players in the DFB jersey in the years to come. Strong moments, such as the template for Jonas Hofmann against Hungary, alternate too often with unnecessary bad passes or clumsy tackling.
In his still very young DFB career, he already owed two penalties (in the friendly against Israel and in the Nations League against England) and got himself a yellow card suspension for the game against Italy.
With around 79 percent of duels won, Schlotterbeck is the best duel in the German team. But at crucial moments, the 22-year-old often makes wrong decisions. That can be fatal at a World Cup finals. At BVB, Schlotterbeck can show alongside Niklas Süle in the coming season whether he is ready for a place at the World Cup.
The Chelsea man is one of Flick’s favorite options in the center of attack. He has proven time and time again that his goal threat comes into play in this position – whether in the national team (8 goals in 28 international matches) or with the Blues in the Premier League.
But it’s definitely not his dream position. Havertz’ problem is that although he is variable, he has not made himself indispensable either in the center or on the outside.
In the Nations League he remained frighteningly pale (four shots, no goal involvement), started against England in the center of the attack and in Hungary as a tenth behind striker Timo Werner. Apparently he didn’t convince Flick, he sat on the bench for 90 minutes in the 5-2 win against Italy. This happened to him for the last time in September 2020.
Leon Goretzka (Bayern)
Leon Goretzka was out for a long time with a hip injury in the second half of last season and is not yet in top form. At least that’s the impression from the Nations League games.
As a box-to-box player, he wasn’t able to play to his usual strength in creating danger in the opponent’s penalty area. In three appearances he collected only two ball actions in the opposing sixteen and presented himself with only 47 percent successful duels unusually weak in duels.
Against Italy, Ilkay Gündogan was given preference and scored a penalty, Goretzka was on the bench for 90 minutes. A sign that Goretzka currently has to line up behind Gündogan and club colleague Kimmich.
Karim Adeyemi (RB Salzburg, from 07/22 BVB)
Not so long ago, Karim Adeyemi celebrated a dream debut in the national jersey: On September 5, 2021, the newcomer to Dortmund, who is moving from RB Salzburg to the Ruhr area in the summer, scored his first goal in his first international match and scored in other short appearances as part of the World Cup qualification again and again accents.
However, the 20-year-old seems to have lost some of his carelessness, he could not convince Hansi Flick in training. He only got five minutes of game time in the four international matches in June.
At the press conference, the national coach also said that he saw Wolfsburg’s Lukas Nmecha “a little further up the field” and added: “It’s important that Karim takes the next step.” Adeyemi now has to do this in the Bundesliga at BVB in order to get back up in the hierarchy.
Lars Wiedemann